Deidara's Story: Clay Hearts Molded
by Uzuki-Kun
Summary: Deidara soon learns of a new mission he must undertake. But, when the mission dredges up ghosts from the past, will he be able to handle the strain on his mind, his body...or his heart? Arc 2 of 3.
1. Prologue: Heart in Turmoil

Disclaimer: I do not own Deidara or any Naruto character. I only own any I have made up, including Yanoi.

If you haven't read the first arc, Deidara's Story: The Early Years, this may be quite confusing to you. Read that first before reading this.

Short Synopsis of First Arc: A boy, beaten and jeered at for years. His mother is killed by angry villagers. He must find a new home away from the derision he has suffered for so long. Can Deidara find a home with the Village Hidden in the Stones? Or will the venture just be more loss and regret. The first arc in a three arc series.

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**Deidara's Story**

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Prologue: Heart in Turmoil**

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Deidara stood at his open window, gazing out at the Village Hidden in the Stones. He sighed, feeling the wind whipping his hair back and forth as he stared up at the moon, the opalescent object peering down, casting an eerie glow across the sleeping city. He had trouble sleeping at nights, usually, and so he would stand at his window and survey the city. The chill in the air was cast off by the heavy woolen clothes he wore, and he cinched his belt up tighter to ward off the cold. Looking down the length of the Tsuchikage's palace, he grimaced. Even with his ocular looking device, the drop still seemed immense, having been removed to almost the top floor of the building. He liked it there, where he would summon his bird and fly around the city, being sure that nothing was amiss.

It had been eight long years since the Chunin Exams. He had graduated fully. He scratched at the Jounin head-band he wore on his brow, reflecting at what it had cost to achieve. Nearly a year in the hospital, close enough to death that he could feel the grip of the reaper clawing at him. He had spent the year in and out of conscious thought, his side open as if someone had cut through him with a kitchen knife. It had taken almost thirty medics to heal him that time...thirty medics, and one very dangerous, forbidden jutsu. In return, he had life. He also had a curse. He scratched nervously at his chest, feeling the marks and the scars from the ordeal.

He remembered clearly the fight as well. The Jounin Exams, the exams that had nearly killed him. The boy that stood apart from him...Bushio. His friend and ally. They had found themselves at the end of the exam, fighting one another. He had figured that Bushio wouldn't...couldn't do anything serious. They had been fighting with pleasure before Bushio had unleashed his jutsu. His jutsu. Deidara grimaced, placing a hand on his chest once more. That jutsu. The Kirikizu Kokoro Naifu no jutsu. How could Bushio do something like that? How...He shook his head, feeling the affect of exhaustion weighing on his mind. How...He couldn't fathom the attack. He had stuck to the spot, stricken. His side had been ripped apart. He had gazed down at his own organs, at his open chest. Bushio had looked as if he hadn't meant it to go that far. He himself had been outraged. He had already used his clay, had already lain the trap long before. He didn't think he would use it. After all, it was Bushio he was fighting. But, he had used it. He had used his clay. He had...almost destroyed Bushio the way Bushio had almost destroyed him.

In the end, the match had been declared a tie. Both had become Jounin...at a terrible price. Bushio now knew Tazuriko's pain. His limbs were all prosthetic. He was much like a walking, human doll. The only thing that was real on him was his torso...a human torso with puppet limbs. Deidara grimaced, closing his eyes. That had been the hardest year ever for him. For anyone. It had taken him almost three years to forgive Bushio for what he had done...and almost five to forgive himself for what he had done to Bushio.

A spider crawled out from the crack it had hidden itself in. Deidara smiled, playing his fingers down so the creature could crawl up onto his hand. As it ran back and forth across his palm, Deidara grinned. Letting it go to crawl some more, he waved a hand at it.

"Thank you, little one. You have given me more inspiration, un!" He quickly threw his hand into his pocket, concentrating chakra into the clay that his hand began to chew, almost thoughtfully. He looked up again, noting the shadows that crept across the moon. Birds on their yearly flight South to better hunting grounds. Soon, his hand released the clay, and he began molding it in his palm, not even looking at what he was doing, to concentrated upon the moon above. Silently, he opened his fingers, revealing the small, clay insect in his grasp. It twitched, all eight legs moving in accord. It hopped up onto Deidara's shoulder, turning around to look up at his face. He smiled at it. "Another job well done!" Taking it, he threw it out into space, waiting until it was in the clear. "Katsu!" It exploded, the shards of clay lighting up the night brilliantly.

"Hm...maybe to much chakra in that one. Next time, I will use less, un." He again went back to staring up at the stars, the moon, and the sky. Stars. What were they but large blots against a black background? Dots of color splashed onto a paper that had been covered in ink. Deidara smiled slyly. The stars were like his art. Though they lasted much longer, in the time of space and life, they lasted only as long as a blink of an eye or a gasp of breath. Then, they twinkled into nothingness, to be replaced by more stars. Brilliant. The being who had made the stars had truly known what art was. Brilliant.

"To live is irrelevant when you die. To become that which is pure is irrelevant when the world around you is so full of hatred and pain. But, to go out with a bang! That is what life is all about, un." He repeated that sentence to himself often. It reminded him of just how his life was. Though, he never truly wished that he would ever die. He knew, unequivocally, that the process of life included death, and if he were to die, his death would be with a bang. He wouldn't die without leaving his mark on the world beforehand. No, not him. Not Deidara.

"Deidara! Come back inside! It's cold out there!" He smiled as the sultry voice floated in on the breeze. Standing, he continued looking at the stars.

"I will be there in a moment, Yanoi. Please be patient with me." He smiled as he said the phrase. Patience was a virtue. However, no one would ever say that he was a patient man. When he finished missions, they were always done as fast as possible. Why wait around for something when one could have it before then? He never understood the art of waiting and watching. That was boring.

"Deidara!" He sighed, turning and closing the window. Yanoi looked up from the bed she lay in, her eyes full of playful annoyance. "Deidara, you'll catch a cold out there!" Deidara smiled, laying on the bed opposite her and kissing her gently on the mouth.

"No, I would never do that, un. If I did, how would I kiss you as such?" He leaned in for another kiss, but she stopped him, pushing him playfully away. Feeling hurt, he watched her as she smiled.

"Deidara...what would I do without you?" Deidara smiled, taking his shirt and pants off before getting into the bed, snuggling up against Yanoi's lean, lithe body.

"Quite possibly, you would be much colder, my dear." She smiled, giving him another kiss as the beams of the orbiting body shone down through the open window, illuminating the scene with the glory of a full harvest moon. It was lost on the two, however. They were more inclined to pay attention to what was happening in the room...not what was outside.

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Katsu: Explode.

Kirikizu Kokoro Naifu no jutsu: Literally translates to The Cutting Mind Knife Jutsu.


	2. Chapter 1: Fates Entwined

**Deidara's Story:**

**Clay Hearts Molded **

Chapter 1: Fates Entwined

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Deidara awoke, having been jolted from his restless sleep by a knock on the door. Yawning, he stretched, getting into a sitting position on the bed as he rolled a hand over his face. Yanoi was still sleeping peacefully next to him, and he smiled, kissing her cheek lightly as another knock resounded through the apartment. Annoyed, Deidara stood, walking to the door and opening it.

"What do you want?" A young kunoichi stood in the doorway, a letter at her side. However, she was too busy staring at Deidara, who had neglected to remember to put any sort of clothing on before getting out of bed.

"Um...er...um..." The poor girl could hardly speak as Deidara realized his mistake. Looking down at himself in a half-stupor of lazy tiredness, he smiled awkwardly. Closing the door for a moment, he went to the bed, throwing on his clothes from the previous night. Cinching his belt up tighter, he once again answered the door, smiling at the girl.

"Sorry. Now, what do you want, un?" The girl said nothing, merely extending the letter out while bowing. Deidara quickly took it, smirking with amusement as the girl, red-faced, turned and ran down the hallway, muttering to herself. "What...never seen a guy naked before, un?" He smiled again, closing the door and walking back to the bed. Deidara glanced over at Yanoi, who was making small noises in her sleep, before taking a kunai from the bedpost and cutting the letter open. A small piece of paper fell out from the rip in the side. Deidara quickly put aside the envelope, opening the stamped letter. Of course, it was blank. As much as the Tsuchikage trusted everyone in the village, he was still overly dramatic when it came to security.

"Err...you make this old, you old fart!" Placing both hands on the letter, he sighed, willing a small amount of his chakra into the paper. In an instant, words began springing to life on the sheet, and he sighed once more as he held it up, reading it.

_Deidara..._

_A mission has arisen that needs your personal touch. It is only a B-Rank, therefore you will be going solo on this. I hope that you don't find this to be a vacation...but do have fun, hm?_

_Tsuchikage_

So, that was it. The Tsuchikage was sending him on a vacation, eh? Just a B-Rank. Deidara had done so many A and S-Rank missions in the past year that his head spun. However, each time he completed a mission, his portfolio would get heavier. If one thing helped him more than his art...it was his ego.

"Hmm...I wonder what kind of mission the old man has me on this time, un?" Getting up, he stretched, going to the dresser in the corner and slipping out of his regular clothes for his loose fitting mission outfit. The baggier pants suited him. Plus, as an added bonus, the blue pants and white shirt brought out his eyes. He smiled at himself as he tightened his belt around his middle, bringing out his ocular enhancement device and strapping it on. He took a quick glance at the back, smiling at the small insignia of the Tsuchikage that had been placed in the back. It had been his present for completing the Jounin Exam...more appropriately, for surviving the Jounin Exam.

"Deidara-kun...where are you going?" He glanced over at the bed, where Yanoi was sitting up on an elbow, watching him.

"Mission, dear one. Don't worry, it's only a B-Rank. Please, stay in bed and get some rest, un. I am sure you and your squad will have a mission soon." Going over to where Yanoi half-lay, he sat down, kissing her fondly before getting back up. "This should be easy. I'll be back before you know it." Walking to the door, he smiled, waving at her as she pouted.

"Well...just don't take too long, hm? You know how I worry." Deidara nodded, giving her a last goodbye before silently exiting the room. As he made his way up the stairs to the Tsuchikage's meeting room, he fondled the letter in his hand. Thinking about the past only brought up painful memories, and as such, he refused to ever think of them. His was a past that was better forgotten anyways. Best to look towards the future. One couldn't change the past, but you could manipulate the future, and for him, it seemed bright.

It was a mere minute later that Deidara jauntily strode into the Tsuchikage's office, smiling at the old man behind the desk as he took a seat opposite him. "So, what is it now, old man?" The Tsuchikage smiled, taking a puff on the pipe that was already lit and in his mouth.

"Seems that we have a mission that could use your talents, boy." Deidara grimaced. The referral to him as a youth seemed to nag at him all the time.

"Please don't call me that, old man. You know how I hate it." The Tsuchikage smiled once again, taking a thoughtful puff on the pipe.

"Then don't call me old man, huh? You know that I don't hate it...but it doesn't seem right." Deidara smiled, nodding his head slightly.

"As you say, Tsuchikage-sama. So, what is the mission, un?" The old man leaned down, picking up a folder off the floor and bringing it to the desk.

"A man...a very influential man in this region, has been formally engaged to a young woman. However, he doesn't have the bodyguards necessary for the trip to bring her to his palace on the far edges of the Stone Country. Though her father has seen to it to hire guards for her, she thought it best to hire...more experienced help. That is where you come in, Deidara-kun. She is willing to pay well, and the man who is marrying her has promised to double that when you get there. As you know, the Village takes in the first percentage of the pay, and the rest is distributed to the shinobi taking on the mission. However, since this is only a B-Rank mission, I figure that you yourself will be able to deal with any common threats that she may run into on her path through the Stone Country. So...is this feasible for you, Deidara-kun?" Deidara sat back, stroking his chin. The money would be handy. In fact, he had already thought about the ring and ceremony that marrying Yanoi would take. The ring was expensive, and the ceremony...well, he already had the Tsuchikage's word that he would personally marry them. However...it was a great deal of money.

"Hmm...just a B-Rank, huh? Well, I guess I'll do it. If it pays as much as you say it will, than it will be worth the time and effort, un. Sure, I'll do it!" Getting up, he bowed low to the man behind the desk, who gave him a curt nod.

"Very well, Deidara-kun. Please be safe...and try not to flirt too much, hm?" Deidara smiled. He had been known to talk to many a lady on his trips. However, he had never dared do anything away from home. Sooner or later in the Stone Country, word got back to those who one wished it wouldn't. Yanoi would've had his guts strewn around the four corners of the country before she allowed him anyone else. It suited him fine, as well. No one but Yanoi was meant for him, and vice-versa.

"Hello. Is this the shinobi accompanying us?" A man's voice from behind made Deidara retract, turning and smiling at the stranger at the door.

"Yes...yes I am, un. Who might you be?" The man saluted, bowing.

"I am Chief Advisor Yodae, also the head guard of the contingent. Pleased to meet you. Come! I will tell you of the mission as we walk." Deidara nodded, turning and smiling at the Tsuchikage.

"Well, Tsuchikage-sama. Until we meet again, un!" Turning, he walked towards the door, followed closely by Yodae, who brought up the rear.

"Pleasant vacation, Deidara-kun. Enjoy it...much work awaits when you get back." The Tsuchikage smiled, turning to look out the window as he took another puff on the pipe, expelling the smoke from his nose and savoring the taste.

"So, where is everyone?" Deidara looked around as the two made their way towards the gate. Children ran by, some waving at him as they dashed to and fro. He smiled, waving back as the tongues in his hands lolled out.

"The princess and her guard are still back at her father's mansion. I was sent to retrieve you. We felt safer bringing a shinobi along for the entire trip, instead of meeting you here." Deidara nodded, looking up at the noon-day sun as it beat down from above.

"So...this princess. She's engaged to somebody on the other side of the country. Explain that, un." The man sighed, watching the path in front of him as they began a long march up the road towards their destination.

"The man she is engaged to is a wealthy land baron. He owns almost half of the Stone Country, and her father owns a little more than an eighth. It didn't always happen like that, though. It was only recently that her father found a mine of precious gems, almost literally in their backyard. She was taken out of school and brought up at home, by nurses, nannies, and the like. Her father became quite wealthy, buying up huge portions of land. Soon, he encompassed a swathe, big enough that the other man grew aware of it. So, in order to bring peace to the land, the man made a deal with the girl's father. When she became of age, they would be married, bringing together two wealthy families and inciting peace within the region. Her father readily agreed. He hopes that, by uniting his daughter with the other, that he will become more powerful, and eventually be able to have influence higher up." Inwardly, Deidara scoffed. Of course, what would any powerful person want but more power?

"So, does the girl agree to it?" The man shrugged, still looking straight ahead.

"I don't know. She's been locked in her room for a while now. Her father is getting her ready for the ceremony, and so she hasn't really been seen. We assume that she wants what is good for her family, and this union would certainly benefit everyone involved." Deidara nodded, again staring up into the sun. It benefited everyone involved on the outside, but inside, did it really benefit her? Not that he cared. This was a mission, and therefore, he didn't get involved in the internal affairs part of it.

"Interesting. So, this girl is getting married to this man, and then the union will join two powerful families. Simple enough to understand, un." The guard nodded, looking over at him.

"Right. But certain factions don't want that to happen. Dangerous factions. In fact, there is a terrorist faction within the Stone Country right now. They only bring disorder and chaos. Nothing they do is for the good of anyone but themselves, though they claim to bring peace and tranquility to those that are bent under the lash of tyranny. Hn! Rebel scum if you ask me." Deidara nodded slowly. He had heard of the bands of marauders. The Red Hand. That was the name they went by. They were usually followed by discord and destruction. Several times, his unit had been sent out to deal with them. However, they used guerrilla tactics, never attacking anywhere more than once, and always disappearing before any ever found them.

"So, I need to protect her from bandits and whatnot, correct?" The man again nodded, eying the road up ahead.

"Yes, that is correct. It should be fairly simple. I have heard of your tremendous exploits, how you complete missions fast and accurately. It was the Tsuchikage-sama himself that suggested you for this job." Deidara smiled to himself. The old man sure knew how to get him reviews.

"Very good. Now, how far will it be to the palace?" Looking up into the sky, Yodae began calculating to himself.

"Hm. Should be close to sundown when we spot it. Then, it is another two hours in the dark. I hope that won't be a problem to you." Deidara smiled, tapping his enhancement.

"No problem at all. This allows me to see in the dark as well as seeing targets from afar." The man smiled, turning to look at the path once more. Deidara sighed, wishing that he could just create his masterpiece and ride his bird to their destination. However, he knew not how Yodae would take the flight, so he would rather chance walking than scaring the life out of the man. He sighed once more, looking at his hands at his side. His right hand began drooling slightly as his left panted up at him. Noticing this, Yodae glanced questioningly at him.

"Those hands...tell me, how did you come by them?" Deidara shrugged, sticking them into his pockets.

"I don't really know, to tell the truth. I suppose I was born with them, un." The man nodded, looking up the road once more.

"Strange thing to be born with." Deidara grimaced. The fool! He would never know how much his hands helped him in his art...with his missions...with his life! He could never understand.

"So...when does the wedding take place?" Scratching his chin, Yodae shrugged.

"When the princess gets there, and when the man is good and ready to wed her. I suppose it could be a while, but I doubt that. He'll want to marry her as soon as possible, I imagine." Deidara nodded. Waiting any period of time in these circumstances only left room for error and misjudgment. Best to get things over with fast and accurately than try to wait them out. Again he wished that he could summon his creation. If only the man next to him wasn't so...earthbound. It would be much easier. He looked back into the sky. The sun had only moved to the West scantily, almost undetectable.

"I'll be back, Yanoi. When I return..." he said to himself, thinking of what actions he would take when he got back home to Iwagakure. Of course, much to his nature, he would probably just wing it.

But it didn't hurt to think about doing something...did it?

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Next Time: Deidara begins his long trip to the mansion with Yodae. However, the Red Hand have begun to move in the region. Next Chapter: Freedom Fighters of Injustice!


	3. Chapter 2: Freedom Fighters Of Injustice

**Deidara's Story**

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Chapter 2: Freedom Fighters of Injustice**

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"Have to have some sort of light here. This just isn't going to work." For hours, the man next to Deidara had been fumbling about for a source of luminescence. Deidara had merely activated his ocular device with chakra, allowing him to see for a great distance in the extreme dark of a new moon night. Yodae, the Chief Guard, or as Deidara mused about, the Chief Annoyance, was fumbling blindly, unaware of anything about him. 

"No...my left! No! Not...arg! Come this way...hold on!" Sitting the man down, Deidara sat near him, staring at his face in the pitch black night. "You know, you really should've told me that traveling in the dark wasn't your thing, un." The man smiled, shrugging.

"I know. I'm sorry. I thought that we would have at least a little light from the moon, seeing as how the moon was so full yesterday. Strange..." The man glared up, and Deidara followed his gaze upwards. The sky was full of bright, twinkling celestial bodies, all unaware of anything around them. Deidara sometimes wished that he could join them, but that wouldn't be kind to his art.

"Yes, it is strange. I am going to go and take a look around. Please wait here...and do not attempt to get up again, un. If you are injured, you will slow this mission down a great deal." Standing, Deidara brushed the dust and collected dirt off of his person, focusing chakra into his feet and jumping into the air. Catching the first branch, he jumped to the top of the tall tree, sitting down and enjoying the peace and solitude of the night. "This is quite relaxing, un. I should stay up here all night." He glanced around. In the distance, he spied the manor that they were coming to. Another two hours in the light of day and they would easily reach the destination, though he didn't understand why they couldn't just go now. If he led, and Yodae followed behind, it wouldn't be that hard of a concept.

"Anything up there, Deidara-san?" The man's voice from below made him grimace.

"No! Please go to sleep. I will keep watch tonight." Reaching into his pocket, he took a small, black pill from a pouch. Uncorking his canteen, he popped it into his mouth, swallowing some water along with it. He felt himself immediately tense. The soldier pill took but a minute to dissolve completely in the acid of his stomach, being sent through his body at a rate that staggered the mind. He felt his muscles constricting and contorting as new pathways were created for blood and chakra to flow through. Even though the effect was only temporary, he still smiled. "I hate the taste, love the sensation, un." Leaning back on the tree, he allowed his left leg to idly rock back and forth on the tree limb. Soon, his eyes were beginning to close, though after a soldier pill, he should have been quite alert.

"Hmm...yes...that's it...not now, Yanoi...no...hmmm..." His slight murmurings in his dreary half-sleep went undetected, the exception being an owl nearby. Its large, irridescent eyes peeped at him, and for a moment, he could have sworn it was Yanoi sitting there, teasing him to come to her. He smiled, reaching out a hand for his woman, before the bird screeched, pecking out. He recoiled, holding his bleeding appendage while glaring daggers at the winged animal. "Why'd you do that, un? You bastard!" He kicked out, sending the owl screeching off into the night. He watched it, smiling at his victory. His ocular device picked it out perfectly in the nighttime, and he contented himself with staring at it as it flew off in high bad humor. However, as it distanced itself, it began to become brighter...not just brighter, but more outlined. He stared quizzically at it as it flew farther away. Shutting off his device, he saw it plainly in the dim light. Not only did he see it plainly, but the manor as well. Nay, all the surrounding territory he saw. It was as if he were in the middle of a black field, surrounded on all sides by light.

"Wait...this can't be. How is this possible, un?" He glanced around him, staring at each and every landmark he could pick up. Then, the words of Yodae hit him like a brick. _"...A little light from the moon, seeing as how it was full yesterday..."_ Deidara slapped his head. Of course, it was so obvious from the beginning. Reactivating his device, he hopped from the top of the towering giant, landing gracefully on the ground. As he heard the noise, Yodae awoke from his sleep.

"Deidara-san...what is it?" Deidara was instantly at his side, holding his hand to the man's mouth. He spoke nothing, only mouthed one word. _Genjutsu_. The man was staring at him widely. Only then did Deidara realize that the mouth on his right hand was probing around in the man's mouth with a sticky tongue. He quickly detached himself, shaking his hand in irritation. Had it not been so funny in a horribly bad situation, he would have allowed himself more of a laugh. However, he needed to think about what was happening.

"I don't think anyone know's our exact location. I can only hope..." he began in a whisper. He wasn't allowed to finish as three kunai streaked in from nowhere, one burying itself in his shoulder. He cried out involuntarily, grabbing the weapon and wrenching it from his body. He glared at it for a moment before realizing that an explosive note fizzled at the end of it. Dropping it to the ground, he grabbed the man next to him and rolled away, feeling the earth shake below him as the notes exploded. The shock wave carried him for two more rolls, setting him down heavily next to a large tree. He panted slightly, looking up into the clearing.

"Damn it...why doesn't anything have to be easy for me, un?" Hiding the man in the bushes, he smiled. "Don't come out, alright? I'll take care of this." The man nodded, fear plainly etched on his features. He was a guard, not a nin. He had no way to fight back against anything that he had already seen, not to mention what he might see. Getting up, Deidara turned, hopping into the tree on his left. His hands were already working on the clay he had fed them, and he pondered his next move as the insects around him buzzed. "Hmm...what's my next move? Let's see. He or they have me surrounded, I don't know where they are but they know where I am...and I have someone else to protect. Perfect! I'm all set, un!" He rolled his eyes at his own sarcasm, feeling the lump of clay press into his hand.

"Where did they go?" A man's voice, coming from their old site. Deidara grimaced, creeping low in the brush. _I'll have to surprise them like this. A few clay birds and it will be all over from there._

"Get up. You're pathetic crawling about like this." Deidara stopped dead, turning slightly as the female voice floated to him. Two glowing yellow eyes moved about in the darkness, and suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm, thrusting him into the light of a lantern. The other man stopped, turning to smile at Deidara as the girl slowly plodded into the camp.

"Well done, Eesama-chan. Very well done indeed." Deidara scowled, turning only to gasp in surprise. What stood before him was a cat, a very large, lithe cat. Large fangs and sharp claws complimented it nicely as well, and it stuck its face straight into his.

"Well well, Deidara. So nice to see you again." Deidara smiled, bringing his hand up to stroke the cats chin.

"I almost didn't recognize you. So, how are you, Eesama-chan, un?" The cat seemed to smile before walking back a distance and releasing the jutsu. What stood in its place was a woman, medium build, her long, brown hair flowing gently behind her.

"Hehe...who would've known it was you we were tracking, Deidara-kun. Tell me, how is that woman you're seeing now. Yanoi, was it?" Deidara smiled, lifting himself off the ground.

"Yeah yeah. She's fine, un. How are you getting along out here? Didn't the Tsuchikage-sama send you guys on a mission not to long ago?" The girl smiled, walking up and placing a finger on his chest as she leaned up to his face.

"Yeah, he did. But, you know us. Always taking the slow route with everything." Deidara smiled, lowering his face to hers.

"Well, you know me. I never did like doing that, un." She smiled back luxuriously, giving him a small lick on the nose. He recoiled, wiping at it with a free-hand. "You know, I hate it when you do that." She laughed, a high, tinkling noise that spread throughout the forest.

"I know. That's why I did it." Another crash in the underbrush alerted Deidara back to the present. He quickly drew a kunai as another man walked up, throwing a much shaken Yodae on the ground.

"Found this one cowering in the bushes somewhere." He bent down, smiling at the man. "Wouldn't want you to get all lost, would we? Hahahaha!" Throwing back his head and laughing, he went to join the other two.

"Hmm...an interesting lot you have now, Deidara. Tell me, what is it you are doing passing through here?" Deidara sighed, kicking the prostrate form of Yodae as he sat down.

"Stop blubbering, you fool. They aren't going to hurt you, un." Thus, he began his tale from the beginning, telling the three everything. When he was done, they nodded knowingly.

"Yes. That is true. The girl is locked in her room right now. She refuses to see anyone at the moment, and two guards have already been seriously injured by her when they go near. I'm telling you, she's feisty, that one." Eesama turned to her compatriot, who nodded sagely.

"They say that women who are mad are also quite determined. A man cannot make the mind of a woman up before she has made his up for him beforehand." Deidara scratched his head, laying down.

"You talk in riddles, my good sir. I don't really know what that is supposed to mean, but tell me, do we have any trouble waiting for us on the path there, un?" The woman smiled, closing her eyes as she shook her head.

"No. You won't have any problems. Once you skirt the forest and get back to the road, you'll be fine. We had heard of the Red Hand having some dealings in this area, so we came to check it out. We never found anything worth mentioning." Deidara nodded.

"Right, the Red Hand. Tell me, Eesama-chan. Who is your target?" The woman smiled once again.

"The leader. You know the old proverb, right? Cut the head off the snake and the rest of the snake dies? Well, we're going after the head. After he's dead, the rest will fall like dominoes." She drew out a kunai, flicking it into the bush and spearing a small vermin running up its base. She smiled as she walked to it, withdrawing the kunai and flicking the creature into her mouth. Deidara grimaced as he watched the tail disappear into her maw. Chewing thoughtfully, she walked back into camp, her kunai resting inside her pouch once more.

"You know, that is really sick, un." She laughed as she swallowed.

"What? That? I'm sorry. I guess I should have warned you about the after-affects of my jutsu. Great for stealth, horrible for the stomach. I can't wait to get some decent food inside me." She huffed slightly as she sat down.

"Well, I suppose we should be going. Hey, Hiran! You wanna release the genjutsu on these two so they can get back to work?" The taller of the two men, Hiran, smiled as he nodded, putting his hands together and dispelling the jutsu. It had masked the entire surrounding area, leaving it void of light. Now, as it was dispelled, the moon came back into focus, and they could clearly see all around. Deidara sighed as he cut the chakra to his ocular item.

"That's a bit better, I think." Yodae relished in the moonlight, turning his head slightly to encompass everything. "We're only an hour or so away. We should probably be moving." Deidara nodded, standing.

"Well, this has been fun, but we have a mission to get on with, and so, if you don't mind..."

"No...we don't mind at all...puppets!" All five turned as one as a single man appeared from the shade of a tall tree. "Thank you ever so much for dispelling that jutsu of yours. We were just going to wait for our own genjutsu master to do it, but this works just as well." The man laughed slightly as another appeared on his right.

"You...soldiers of destruction! Lay down your arms and sit on the ground! We have you surrounded, so there is no point resisting!" Other hoots and howls of derision began to pour in, and Deidara glanced over at Eesama, who was busy with her feline eyes, tracking and scouting out the surrounding darkness.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Deidara took a step forward as he addressed the newcomer. He smiled as he held a hand up, one finger pointed to the sky.

"We are the Red Hand, freedom fighters of the Iwagakure contingent. We bring happiness, joy, and laughter to those who have had the yoke of oppression brought down upon them. As I said before, you are surrounded, so trying anything is pointless." Deidara grimaced as a kunai flew in on his right, landing in the soil. He tried to make out the one who had thrown, but nothing was there.

"Hm...Red Hand, huh? Perfect! That means that we won't have to hunt you down anymore. I am Deko Mihoto, the leader of this group. You are all under arrest!" The man he was addressing merely smiled, cocking his head back to gaze at Deko through half-lidded eyes.

"Hehehe...you, arrest us? That's rich! Right! I suppose that we should start things off here then, eh?" Bringing his hands together, he began making hand-signs as Deko began making his own. On Deidara's right, Eesama had already bounded into the bushes, a tail sprouting from her backside and her claws and fangs beginning to show. The cat was on the hunt!

"Suiton: Soukou Amekaze No Jutsu!" Bringing his hands together, the lead nin smiled as a large cloud began forming over the entire glade. _That cloud...there is chakra in it. I can feel it...this is incredible! _Hopping backwards, Deidara safely reached the shelter of a large, awning tree as a storm of rain was unleashed upon the scene. It drove down in buckets, pummeling the earth. Deidara chanced a finger out into the deluge, but quickly recoiled as a single drop hit it. He gazed at it interestedly as drops of blood ran from it.

"Hm...interesting jutsu, un." Bringing his own hands back, he began forming a clay creation.

"You won't get far with this rain pouring down like it is." His eyes flashed to the left as a feline dropped down into his hiding place. As her catlike form disappeared, she smiled at him. "I've seen your bombs before, Deidara. They won't get far. This rain will detonate them before they have a chance to work." Deidara smiled, waiting. Out in the deluge, the now three nin were scouting the area, searching for their prey.

"Come out! This rain will fall non-stop until you are found! How long do you think you can withstand this rain? Even the forest will be destroyed under the rain of justice! Come out!" Still busy searching, they walked past the hiding place that held Eesama and Deidara.

"How are they able to walk about in this downfall, un?" The girl chuckled lightly.

"It seems the one that started it has control over where it falls. He must use his chakra to control the actions of the clouds, focusing the main body of water to different parts of it, leaving others free. He can walk about while we get pounded into flat, microscopic little pancakes." Deidara grunted.

"Thanks for your commentary, un. How are we supposed to beat this?" The girl again laughed.

"Remember what I said, Deidara...cut the head off, and the body dies." Deidara pondered on that.

"Cut the head off...body dies...head off...body dies..." The girl again laughed. The man was so easy to confuse, it was pathetic.

"Take out the nin, and the rain stops. Get it?" Deidara finally understood, nodding slightly. He looked out again into the rain, watching the nins on the far side of the field.

"I hope Yodae is alright...I was counting on that money for later, un," Deidara grumbled, mostly to himself. Eesama turned to him, a smile on her lips.

"Is that all you're in it for? The money?" Deidara scoffed.

"What else would I be in it for?" A small twinkle in the girl's eyes told him all. She didn't live for the money. Nor did she live for her team. She lived for the kill. She was more feline than even she would admit. Killing was what a shinobi did, and she was one of the best that Iwagakure had to offer.

"Well, I guess that I should start in again. See you later, Deidara." She made a small hand-sign, her face already beginning to point into a more feline one. With a graceful leap, she made it safely into the cover of the trees as the torrential rain continued to drive rivets into the earth. Hearing a groan from behind, Deidara glanced up at his hiding place. The rain was already beginning to destroy the ancient tree, ripping large pieces of bark off of its hide and raining them down at him. He dodged one that fell in front of him, and he cursed slightly as he felt another hit him on the head.

"This isn't working. I need to figure out something to do, un!" He pondered the question, getting into a sitting position underneath what remained of the tree. The rain still pounded down barely a foot in front of him, all the time getting closer and closer. Suddenly, he smiled, getting up. "Yeah. Now to work." Releasing his clay, he began chewing more, waiting for the inevitable. A large piece of the tree, having been half broken already, suddenly snapped, tumbling to the ground. He smiled up at it as it fell, leaping underneath and catching it deftly. "Best umbrella I've ever used."

"Suiton: Amekaze Arashi No Jutsu!" Deidara sighed as, to his right, a large, spiraling wave of water erupted, threatening to engulf him. As it sped closer, he smiled, placing the wood in front of him. He felt the rain still falling, driving him down as the vortex of water hit the piece of wood. It splintered, but didn't break, instead redirecting the wave up and over him, replacing the wood as a shield. Deidara grunted as he walked forward, keeping the wood in front of him at all times. It was still splintering, but not enough to worry him. Every step forward brought him closer to his destination, and finally, the drenching wave stopped. He smiled as he brought his wood back over his head, staring across the expanse at the rogue nin, who was sneering at him.

"Hehehe...using a piece of wood against the rain, hm? Nice. However, it won't save you. Nothing will save you from the inevitable downfall of your precious, egotistic society!" He brought his hands back to his chest as he began making more hand-signs.

"Think fast!" Whipping the wood around like a frisbee, Deidara let fly, than ran after it, keeping pace just underneath the rotating disk. The nin, startled, jumped back to avoid being hit. Deidara smiled, raising a hand and releasing a bird of clay that he had been keeping. The bird shot forward, keeping underneath the wood as Deidara quickly hopped to the right, ducking down underneath a fallen log. The nin had hopped forward enough to be safe from the wood, and it ground to a halt in front of him. He smiled as Deidara brought his hands together. "Katsu!" The wood exploded, allowing the bird to fly through harmlessly. The spider that Deidara had thought to put on the wood beforehand had really come in handy. Taken unawares, the nin hopped backwards as wood splinters shot forward. He cried out as they pierced his skin, and he hobbled slightly, looking up in time to see the avian attack directly in front of him. "Katsu!" The bird expanded slightly, exploding beautifully and sending the nin flying into a tree, knocking his breath from his body and tumbling him to the ground. He coughed, hacking up blood, as the rain began to pound his body. No longer able to concentrate the rain with his chakra, he was being beaten mercilessly by his own jutsu. Quickly, he turned over, expelling the jutsu before he was completely killed by it.

"Hmm...who is the one on the ground now, un?" Taking a step forward, Deidara smiled down at the man, who grimaced up at him.

"You...you fascist bastard!" Deidara smiled, reaching down and grabbing the pouch the man wore at his side.

"Well, you won't mind if this 'fascist bastard' takes your pouch...and your money, if you have any, un?" Reaching into the pouch, he pulled the contents out, lying them on the ground. "Oh ho! What's this then?" He produced a small scroll, opening it and reading the contents. "Hmm...an attack on Iwagakure? Interesting. It wouldn't work, of course." The nin looked up, spitting at Deidara's feet.

"Why the hell wouldn't it? We're a lot stronger than you think!" Deidara smiled down at him again, kneeling and placing a hand on his cheek.

"True...but you forget one thing. I live in Iwagakure, and I will defend my home with my life, un!" Getting up, he stretched leisurely. A small thump behind him made him turn sluggishly around, and he smiled as Eesama placed a well bound prisoner down on the ground.

"Well, that's one more, I suppose. I wonder..." she began. However, she was answered as another man was placed on the ground next to hers, also well bound.

"Found this one taking shelter from the rain. Hehehe...little rain ain't bothered no one yet!" Hiran smiled, placing a foot on his nin. The man groaned slightly, and Hiran pressed harder. "Oh shut up! You'll be groaning even louder when our interrogator is getting information from you! Hehehe..." Deidara balked inwardly at the horrendous looking wounds that Hiran had suffered. His body was covered in large welts, and some were bleeding bright crimson through his shirt. However, he didn't seem bothered by it, so Deidara let it pass.

"Well, I couldn't find anyone else out there. I suppose it was a Bunshin No Jutsu they used to create all the voices from before," said Deko, walking up from behind the group. Deidara smiled, turning with a raised hand.

"How are you, Deko? I hadn't actually gotten the chance to ask." Deko smiled, giving him a hand to shake. Deidara started for a moment as the arm detached, leaving him with Deko's appendage.

"Well, the old arm is still as wooden as ever, but it does come in handy. Tazuriko-sensei has taught me many things for that arm to do. Amazing what I can accomplish with that." Deidara laughed slightly, handing the arm back as Deko infused it with more chakra to keep it in place.

"So...I guess that's it. We should be going now. Have to take these three back to Iwa to question. They shouldn't last the day." Eesama grabbed the leader, allowing the other two to pick theirs. Turning, they began drifting off into the early morning light, leaving Deidara in the clearing alone.

"Well...that was a good waste of time. I wonder what I should do now..."

"Is...is it over?" Deidara's eyebrow rose slightly as he turned to see Yodae crawl from underneath a bush, glancing wearily around.

"Yeah, it's over. Come out, you big chicken! Geez, some guard you are, un!" Helping the man to his feet, he brushed him off.

"Well, what do you expect from me? That's why we hired you, to deal with bandits like that! Now that I have seen you in action, I can guarantee the princess that she'll be in good hands." Deidara shook his head as they began walking off in the direction of the manor.

"Why do you call her a princess? She wasn't born into royalty, just into luck." The man shrugged as he holstered his sword.

"It's what they say I should say. I expect you to address her as such. It is better to call her princess than have to find another job." Deidara huffed slightly as they emerged from the tree cover onto a small, rickety looking old road.

"Perhaps you should find another job if you dislike this one, un." Yodae laughed lightly.

"Perhaps. But, this pays well, and I do like to hang out in the barracks. Some of the best news goes through the barracks, you know. Kind of like a water cooler, though without the water. Hehehe..." He cackled slightly at his own joke. Deidara merely held his peace, staring up the road to where the manor loomed in the distance.

"Hope this is worth my trouble, un." The guard laughed again, stealing a side-ways glance at the man next to him.

"Don't worry. If everything turns out right, than you should have plenty of money after this ordeal. It shall be well worth your trouble, believe me." Deidara nodded, walking forward with a new energy. The money would be well worth it...especially if it bought the ring that he had an eye on for Yanoi.

His mind wandered as they traveled the remaining distance. Mostly, it stayed on Yanoi, who was always lying on his bed, waiting for him to come home, enticing him with her female guiles. He smiled slightly. However, through the haze of his mind, other thoughts began to register. A home, burning to the ground. A woman lying on the cold grass, bleeding. A town of angry villagers. A face...a face that he couldn't recall. At times, late at night, he had wanted to recall that face. He couldn't remember who or where she was. He remembered her kindness, which had imprinted itself on him. However, nothing else about her remained. But...that face.

He smiled, drifting back to Yanoi. Best not to worry about dreams. Best to worry about what one has, not what one thinks they want.

* * *

Suiton: Soukou Amekaze No Jutsu – Water release: Driving Armored Rain Technique 

Suiton: Amekaze Arashi No Jutsu – Water release: Driving Tempest Technique

Bunshin No Jutsu – Clone Technique

Next Time: Deidara meets his ward, but an unfortunate reality keeps him from his mission. Next chapter: Haunting Past, Poisoned Mind


	4. Chapter 3: Haunting Past, Poisoned Mind

**Deidara's Story**

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Chapter 3: Haunting Past, Poisoned Mind**

* * *

It was quite some time before the pair arrived at the mansion. As Deidara stood while Yodae went to rouse the house, he took in the spread of the land. High, sloping hills protected the backside, while large, thick groves of high forest trees protected the front and sides. Walls were built around the outside perimeter of the place, and he smiled slyly as he took in the construction. 

"Hmm...they made a mistake when building these walls. They are made from a porous material, one that isn't so strong, un. A small bomb would crumble an entire portion of this wall." Of course, he reckoned to himself that the walls were merely a show of prestige. Any decent ninja would scale them in a moment, thereby rendering them useless from the get-go. "It is a nice thought, at any rate, un." Kicking a pebble in his path, he made his way to the side of the mansion, staring up at the walls of the building. It was made entirely of granite and stone. Hardly any part of it was made of wood. Simple and effective if one was trying to keep out intruders, or stopping the outside of the place from being burned. However, the intricacies of a stone building left many things to chance. In the summer, the area surrounding Iwagakure was much hotter than other areas, so living in a house of stone would sizzle those inside. On the converse, the winter would be much colder than in a house of wood, which would be naturally insulated.

"They must have enough money to have some sort of a heating element in this place, un. Otherwise, anyone would have seen the folly of such a house and reconstructed it accordingly." He placed a hand along the outer wall, smiling at the texture.

"Ah! Deidara-kun! Very good, we have permission to enter!" Yodae walked up, escorted by three other guards, all of whom saluted him. He smiled, nodding slightly at the reserves as he and the lead guard took the forefront, walking back to the entrance of the domicile and entering. It was strange to come from the outside forest into a house such as this. Large pillars of stone arose from the floor, propping up the ceiling and surrounding floors. The floor itself was almost unseen for the amount of carpet that was strewn about. Rich colors, reds and oranges, splashed the walls in paintings and murals. Deidara whistled slightly as he examined the frame of one painting. It was inset ivory, expensive and delicate, inlaid with rubies and small diamonds. The frame itself was probably worth more than fifty paintings of the like.

"His Majesty will see you in his chambers," Yodae said, signaling the other guards to leave. Deidara nodded slightly, walking up behind him. Inwardly, he was shaking with mirth. The man who thought himself a king because of his money. It was good that Kage's weren't like that. Any number of weak shinobi with a wad of money would rule, making each ninja territory that much weaker. He shook his head at the paintings on the walls as they continued down the corridor. They were of the same man, each one as flattering as the last. Different poses, possibly trying to show off some sort of good side. Deidara shook his head imperceptibly so that Yodae wouldn't catch it. From the looks of the house, the man was a blow-hard, and probably expected the same respect one would pay to a feudal lord.

"Deidara-kun...it is my honor and privilege to introduce you to his highness, Lord Pokup. Lord, this is the shinobi you requested." The man beside him bowed, but Deidara didn't feel like boosting the ego of anyone at the moment, so he remained standing. A sharp hiss next to him made him glance down. "Deidara-kun, please kneel." Deidara laughed slightly underneath his breath.

"No, that's quite alright. I'll stand, un." Yodae grimaced slightly as Deidara beheld the man in front of him. He was sitting on something reminiscent of a throne, smiling down upon the both of them. Next to him lay an empty seat, so Deidara reasoned that the lady of the house wasn't around.

"Ah...so, this is the shinobi, hm? Why do you not bow to me, sir shinobi? Do they not teach you customs in the place you reside?" Deidara shrugged.

"They do. However, they teach you to bow when you behold someone who is superior. As I have not met you yet, sir, I cannot say that you are superior to me. Therefore, proper shinobi conduct dictates that I need not bow to you. You are a client, and I am a customer, true, un. But, I will not bow." The man was silent for a moment, and Yodae looked up nervously.

"You shouldn't have done that, Deidara-kun. He is known to have...fits of anger." Deidara shrugged again at the hushed comment, merely watching the man. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet, pointing at Deidara in an angered fashion.

"You dare talk this way to me? Guards!" Four guards rushed into the room, each holding a spear out. Spreading out around Deidara, they pointed their weapons at him, level with his torso. He merely shrugged.

"Sir, if you wish to lose four guards, I cannot stop you from commanding them to attack me. However, be forewarned that proper shinobi law dictates that I have the right to kill not only your guards, but you as well after you violate the contract." There was a moment of hushed indecision by the lord on the dais, as if he were trying to decipher the words Deidara had just said. _What a complete fool. _However, he waved his hand, sending his guards back. Of course, proper shinobi law dictated nothing of the sort, but seeing as how the man knew little to nothing of shinobi law, he wasn't about to educate him.

"Be it known, shinobi. You are on thin ice right now. Please pay more attention to what is happening around you, and bow when you are near me." Deidara smiled.

"My lord, I am a shinobi. I always pay attention to my surroundings. It is you who doesn't." Then, without another word, a kunai was placed against the throat of the man on the chair. He gulped, turning to look into an opalescent blue eye next to him. Deidara smiled casually as he whispered slightly into the man's ear. "Know this, if I detect any treason in this matter, I will call this mission off. Do not hesitate to think that I will not." With another gulp, the man nodded.

"Um...understood, sir shinobi. I apologize for my immediate rudeness." Evidently satisfied, Deidara replaced the kunai into his belt, walking back towards Yodae and releasing his bunshin, which disappeared with a flourish of smoke. "You must realize, I have many enemies in this region. I had to be sure that you could be trusted with my daughter's life before I just hand her over to you." Deidara smiled politely as he turned.

"Be sure, your grace. Once I start a mission, it is fulfilled without question. However, I do not like being toyed with, so speak your piece now." The man nodded, clearing his throat.

"Right. Well, you see. My daughter is engaged to a man on the far side of the Stone Country. This man leads a small army, along with a few small towns that are under his control. They pay him taxes, and he protects them in turn. However, the trip is dangerous. As you are well aware of, I am sure, the Red Hand has multiple dealings in this area, and I am sure they would be delighted to kidnap the daughter of someone as influential as I am."

"Sir, about that! Deidara-kun here has defeated three Red Hand operatives already. I have seen it. He was...he was amazing, my lord." Yodae stepped forward slightly, motioning to the man on his right. Deidara smiled. It was good to have others compliment you on how well you fight.

"Is that so? Well, then indeed I owe you another debt of gratitude, Deidara. That is three less Red Hand rabble that I have to deal with. So, getting down to business. You will be paid the order of four-hundred thousand yen at the end of this." The Lord waited until Deidara had figured that out. Four-hundred thousand? With that, he could retire...well, maybe not retire. But that would buy a ring for Yanoi...and a better place than the Tsuchikage's tower to call home. "You will be paid on arrival at the other side of the country. The Lord and myself have already arranged for it." Deidara nodded, his smile plastered on his face. The Tsuchikage had told him that the money would be good...but not extravagant. He should take B-Rank missions more often.

"Very good, my Lord. Now, what are the specifics of this mission?" The man laughed slightly, motioning for a steward on his right to come forward. He did so, bringing with him a parchment sheet and a scroll.

"This is a map of the country, as drawn by some of the best renderer's that money can buy. This scroll contains information for the Lord himself, so that is of little import to you. The map you may take and use, and afterwards, you may keep it. I am sure that it will be valuable to you later on." Deidara nodded, taking the map and scroll the steward brought him. "As for other specifics, you will be escorted by a contingent of a score of guards, each armored and prepared for an attack. My daughter will ride in a carriage. It is your task to prevent disaster from occurring along the trip. Understood?"

"As clear as clay, your grace." Deidara bowed slightly. The man smiled. The shinobi was learning, after all.

"Now, is there anything you will need on this trip? I wish for you to be well equipped before you leave." Deidara stood straight, thinking about it.

"Well, I could use some more clay, my lord. About two bushels would be fine. Just in case." The man nodded, beckoning to a man on his left.

"Go find Deidara-kun two bushels of clay. Hurry, and do not be all day about it." The man bowed, turning and walking from the chamber. "Anything else, shinobi?" Deidara smiled.

"Just some food. I'm famished." Lord Pokup smiled, clapping his hands as two more men entered the chamber.

"You and you! Bring food! Bring wine! Tonight, we celebrate, for my daughter is to be wed soon!" The men smiled, nodding and bowing furiously before exiting. Smiling widely, the man got up from his chair, walking down and shaking Deidara's hand. "You will have united the Stone Country, my boy. For that, you will be well rewarded." Deidara continued to smile as his hand was wrung. Soon, they were all eating a fine banquet, prepared by many chefs. Of course, it was more food than Deidara could even begin to stomach, but he was assured that the leftovers would go to the guard, so he didn't question it. He smiled down at his plate. Fugu...something that he hadn't eaten for...quite a while.

After he had eaten his fill, he stood, smiling and yawning. Lord Pokup stood as well, signaling another two.

"You two. Prepare a room for the shinobi, where he can rest for the night. Tomorrow, the journey begins." The two saluted and bowed, going to do his bidding. He smiled at the blond man. "You can rest well tonight, Deidara-kun. Tomorrow is a big day." Deidara smiled back, bowing properly this time.

"Thank you, your grace. I will retire then, un." Turning, he began to walk from the chamber...until his head began to swim. "What...what is this?" He brought his hand up, seeing a double image. "What is...what is happening to me, un?" He swayed slightly, then went to one knee. "I...I must have eaten...far faster than I thought, un." Struggling to rise, he went to his other knee, holding his head which threatened to roll from his shoulders. "This...this isn't natural. What...what is this?"

"Deidara-kun. What is it?" Yodae was at his left, holding his arm. Pokup was at his right, staring down curiously.

"Do all shinobi act this way after meals?" He bent down, gazing at Deidara, who by now was having trouble with his breath. "Hmm...seems to me that he is much more tired than I gave reckon of." Then, an intense pain throbbed in his shoulder. He cried out, clutching at his body as waves of wracking pain throbbed through his person. Suddenly, it hit him like a shuriken.

_He and Yodae...out in the woods. He had figured out the genjutsu...and then...a kunai! The one that hit his shoulder, the one with the explosive note. It must have been thrown by Eesama-chan..._

_Eesama-chan always used poison on her weapons!_

"Poi...poison!" Deidara slumped to the floor, barely able to breath as he began to shake.

"Poison? My food isn't tainted, shinobi! This is outrageous!" Yodae shook his head at his Lord's outburst, and fumbled with his knife. Deidara was still clutching his shoulder as the man cut his shirt apart, staring down with disdain at the massively infected wound in Deidara's flesh.

"Sir, Deidara was hit by a nin weapon during our battle in the forest. This is the wound...and I believe the weapon was poisoned." Picking Deidara up off the floor, he began to stagger towards the room set up for him. "You! Go get a medic. Hurry!" A man saluted, running off as Yodae continued to stagger out with his burden. Deidara wretched violently, spilling the contents of his meal onto the stone floor. With that, he dropped into unconsciousness as the poison began filtering through his body. Pokup stared ruefully at the two as they exited the room, leaving him with the company of a few shocked waiters and servants. He turned, pointing to one of the maids.

"You! Clean that up, won't you?" With that, he left the room, muttering to himself about shinobi and their horrible table manners.

* * *

It was the next day that Deidara re-awoke. He lay in a soft, downy bed. He felt the furs over him, but he had hardly any sensation in his skin. It was as if he had been lying on a bed of ice for hours on end. No part of him was reacting to his muscles commands to move. He began trying to lift his head, trying to view the world around him. 

"Please don't move, Deidara-kun. The medical-nin from Iwa said for you to not move." A gentle voice...A very feminine voice. He gazed up, his eyesight foggy. A patch of brown above him was all he could see. A hand stroked his temple, and he smiled in spite of himself.

"Thhhelco jjfolo..." He couldn't speak. He could hardly even think. His head swam in an ocean of foggy haze.

"The medical-nin said that you would be dazed and confused for a few days. Word was already sent to the other side of the country. The Lord expects you in full condition before you attempt your journey." He would have nodded had he had the capacity to.

"Thoorake oouute..." He had meant to thank whoever it was speaking, but he still couldn't find the words. He knew how to speak, but he had no capacity to.

"If that was thank you, than you are quite welcome, my handsome shinobi. I hope you are feeling better today. Father says that as soon as you are well, we are to leave." So, this was the 'princess' he was supposed to be protecting, hm? Interesting. He wondered why she was taking care of him, if the place was chock full of maids and butlers and the like. As if guessing what he thought, her image blurred once more, and more white appeared. She must have been smiling. "Well, I am the only one with any medical knowledge. My father doesn't expect his servants to know how to bind one or fix one's ailments. He only expects them to clean, wash, and wipe." Deidara could understand that. If someone knew anything else...you would have to pay them more.

"Princess...your father wishes to speak to you." Another voice. He recognized this as Yodae. The girl stood, seemingly bowing before exiting the room. Yodae walked to his bedside, smiling down at him...or what appeared to be a smile. His vision was clearing, but was still horrible, like looking through thick glasses when one already had perfect vision.

"The medical-nin didn't know if you would last the night. He was afraid the poison was too advanced for him to deal with at that stage. He also said that if you survived, you would be one lucky son-of-a-bitch. Well...it turns out you have more luck than I reckoned." He sat at the edge of the bed, staring over at him. "The princess was quite taken with you, it appears. She even left her bedroom, where she had taken all her meals and such. She must like shinobi or something. Who can tell?" He stood, yawning and stretching. "I stood by your door all night long. I'm tired...so I think I will retire. Good to see you still alive, Deidara-kun." He yawned once more, striding from the room. Before shutting the door, he turned, staring over at Deidara. "By the way, I think that the princess had something to do with your recovery as well. That girl sure knows some medical stuff, I can tell you that right now." With that, he shut the door, leaving Deidara in peace. The shinobi turned his head, staring up at the ceiling as his vision swam. He closed his eyes, enjoying the peace and solitude that darkness held for him. So...the princess, hm? The princess had seen to his recovery.

What kind of princess knew medical practices, anyway? That seemed rather odd, but seeing as how he was alive and well, he didn't hold anything against it. His luck had held, at any rate. In time, he would be up and around, and he could get on with the mission, regardless of his injury.

It was another day before he had his vision and movement back, in which time the 'princess' had visited him numerous times. Since he could only listen, she had talked about her life in the mansion and her life before the riches. She had attended the local school, had made friends with the children, and had learned there beforehand. Now, with the money, she was home-schooled, being taught by the brightest minds that money could buy. She hardly ever left the house, as it was her fathers custom to deny her any rights outside. She would go on for hours about his cruel treatment of her. How she could almost never talk to any of the servants, how she had to follow protocol.

"Father says that going outside is the same as stepping into a lion's den. So many people want to harm me outside these walls that he keeps me imprisoned here. I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" She went on to explain how her mother had died two summers hence. However, her father always kept the chair ready for her next to him in the main room, so that if she ever returned, he would be ready. "I suppose it is selfish to think that mother will come back. He is a wonderful man at heart. He just...strays from the path of sanity a little, that's all." Deidara immediately recalled his first run in with the man, laughing slightly to himself. She had turned, smiling at him. "What is so funny? Are you laughing at me?" He shook his head, but she punched him lightly on the arm. "If you were well, it would have been a hell of a lot harder!" She smiled again, getting off the bed and kneeling so she could place her arms underneath her head, staring at the shinobi who stared back through his foggy vision. "You know, it's nice to be able to talk to someone without them following any sort of standard. You don't have to bow, or politely listen because it's your job." He would've said that he had to listen because he couldn't not listen, but he couldn't talk to say that. "These chats we've had...they mean a lot to me. Thank you." Getting up, she turned, leaving. "You know, it's almost like I've seen you before. Well, take care." She left, closing the door behind her.

As Deidara stretched, he gazed out the window from the top floor of the mansion. He could see over the hulking trees in the forest, giving him a wide expanse of visibility. If he had felt like, he could've put his ocular device in, allowing him to see almost to Iwa. He smiled, rubbing his hands.

"Well, I guess it's time to go, un." Cinching his belt up one more notch, making him realize that poison usually meant a loss in weight, he exited the room he had been confined to, taking the steps to the bottom floor four at a time. He entered the main chamber, whistling at a couple of the maids as they exited the room, blushing horribly. Smiling, he made his way to the throne, bowing. "I am prepared, my lord. We can leave when you announce it, un." The man on the dais smiled, standing and clapping his hands.

"Well done, Deidara. I must say, you are more resilient than I believed. I had feared you would be another three days in the healing process, but here you are, ripe and ready to go! Good show!" He clapped his hands, signaling Yodae into the room. The man was overjoyed to see Deidara as fit as he was.

"Well...how do you feel, Deidara-kun?" Deidara smiled, patting his stomach.

"You begin to feel the effects of not eating for a few days, that I can say, un." Yodae grinned, patting Deidara fitfully on the back.

"Well put, Deidara-kun. Well put, indeed." A clearing of the throat brought attention back to Lord Pokup.

"Yes, well. The carriage is outside, ready to go. Have the guards assembled and the princess brought down. Deidara-kun, you leave within the hour!" Deidara bowed once more, turning and walking from the room.

Indeed, they were ready to leave within the hour, the carriage having been prepared beforehand. The guards stood at attention, saluting smartly from two rows filed out in front and behind the carriage. Deidara stood on the top, a position he felt sure that he could protect all around him, and have a good vantage point as well. On top of the carriage sat two small barrels, each full to the brim with clay. During an attack, he had only to dip his hands into them to be able to strike back. Yodae stood to the side as the girl was led from the house. Deidara stared at her. She was beautiful, gorgeous to the point of no return. Her brown hair flowed gracefully behind her, and those large, puppy dog eyes. Had he not been previously promised to Yanoi, and had she not been previously promised to a man she hadn't met yet, than he would have been after her like a shot. In consequence, the princess herself seemed to be lagging somewhat. Deidara felt a certain empathy for the girl, but this was a mission. Whether or not she wanted to go was inconsequential. It was his job to get her there, and he would fulfill that job.

Suddenly, the sun came from behind a cloud, illuminating a previously darkened atmosphere. The way the sun's rays glinted off of the silken locks...the way it bounced playfully from her flawless skin. He blinked several times. Memories began coming back to him. Memories from his past...memories he had tried so hard to bury.

_He had been on the ground. He had just been beaten mercilessly by school-children, a gang of them. He was face down in the dirt, trying not to cry. He reasoned with himself that they only did it because they didn't know any better. _

_A voice...a heavenly voice. A voice like that of an angel. He had turned over, and a girl had been there. Her face...he recalled it clearly now. Her brown hair waved in the breeze, and her smile lit up his dark world. He had smiled back, and she reached down, beginning to pick him up, but dropped him once again. He sat down hard on the ground, staring back up at her as she saw his hands. He had been ashamed, as always. They were the reason he had no friends to begin with. She picked him up again, much to his amazement. She didn't run. She didn't scream. She didn't hit him. She...seemed amused by his hands. She stuck a finger in one, swirling it about. He had blushed, and she smiled. That smile. That smile warmed his very core...he felt as if his soul would fly. That smile..._

"Deidara-kun. Get ready, please. The procession will begin shortly." Yodae turned, bowing low to the girl as she crossed the lawn to the carriage, looking up at a dumbfounded Deidara. "Shizune-hime, please get in. We will be on our way." Then, all eyes were on Deidara...as he fainted clean away from the top of the carriage.

This time...it wasn't poison.

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Next Time: An encounter on the road leads Deidara to some hilarious antics. However, it is all in the good of the mission...right? Next chapter: Roadside Excursion! 


	5. Chapter 4: Roadside Excursion

A/N: Sorry to those who have been waiting for this. I was going to post it tomorrow, but I decided that today was as good as any day to. Therefore...enjoy!

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**Deidara's Story:**

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Chapter 4: Roadside Excursion

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**

Deidara stood on the top of the slow-moving carriage, contemplating what was happening. In just a matter of moments, he had gone from feeling perfectly fine to feeling as if his heart would stop and his brain would explode. What was this feeling he was having?

Shaking his head to calm himself down, he sighed, sitting on the roof of the carriage and closing his eyes. The journey had been underway for only an hour. They still had nearly three days of travel before they would be at their destination. Of course, three days for him would seem like an eternity. The only reason a mission ever took longer than a day or so would be through the slowness of his comrades that accompanied him, or a mission that took place a great deal away. He remembered blissfully the mission to Sunagakure. His fellows and himself were placed in charge of a small, red-haired brat. Funny, how much misfortune happened along that mission. It took only two days for tragedy to strike. Then, he had called the mission off when the Kazekage had come to his group personally to arrange for an...how did he put it? Accident?

"Hmph. Accident, right. Asshole. That Kazekage, trying to kill his own flesh and blood, un. Asshole..." His team had flown a message back to the Tsuchikage, asking him to disband the mission, which he had. Killing one's ward didn't suit Deidara much. However, the way the kid protected himself. For a seven year old brat, his skills were extraordinary. It was like the sand moved of its own accord...

Deidara shook his head, getting back to the mission at hand. He looked down at the brown, semi-plain top of the carriage, wondering if the person inside was going through the same thing he was. He doubted it, though it never hurt to wonder. "Give it up, Deidara. She's a 'princess', and you're...in a happy relationship, un!" He smiled, lying down and watching the clouds roll by. His eyes began to close as he thought back on Yanoi, sitting at home, waiting for him. He smiled once more, breathing deeply of the crisp, morning air.

"Hey! Deidara-kun! Aren't you supposed to be watching for enemies?" Deidara grimaced. That Yodae. He was sure a pest at times.

"Yes yes. I am on the alert, un! If something happens, I will be able to stop it. Don't worry so much! You're the one who is supposed to be alert." He heard no retort, so he continued to daydream.

About mid-day, the small procession halted to take a break and feed and water the horses. They had been traveling straight for nearly four hours, and the horses had begun to tire, not to mention the men riding them. Deidara stared around at the men, joking and laughing with one another. "Deidara-kun! Come! Take a drink with us!" He gazed down at Yodae, who was smiling up at him. He smiled back.

"Hmm..." He grunted as he hit the ground, getting up and brushing off his clothes. "Ah! A drink would be most good after that ride on the carriage, un. It gets rather dusty with the horses and all." Yodae chuckled slightly, clapping him on the back and walking him to another group of men, who were talking in a hushed group.

"Men! Show some respect to our shinobi friend Deidara-kun here! Pass him the canteen!" One man nodded, handing Deidara a canteen. Deidara gave it an appreciative sniff, then chugged a deal of the fiery liquor. He let go, giving a slight squelch as the drink funneled down into his stomach. He shook slightly, and then handed the canteen back.

"Whew! That is some fiery stuff, un! What is it?" The man who had handed it to him laughed, taking a swig.

"It's home-brewed sake. My mother makes it. This has been in the cellar for nigh on twenty years now! Makes a great drink for the road, though it would be better warm. Ah, nothing like warm, home-made sake to warm the nerves and prevent the chills!" He took another swig, handing it off.

"So, tell us shinobi! Tell us what you do? We would love to know why only one shinobi was chosen to guard us, when we could have hired one hundred!" Another man took a swig, pointing a half-accusing finger at Deidara, who smiled.

"Well, to put it into layman's terms, I am an artist, un." The men glanced at him, and then began to laugh.

"Oh, well. Pardon us for being so rude to you, Mr. Artist! Can you paint me a pretty picture? Will you teach our enemies how to finger paint? Or, maybe you'll draw them a horrifying sketch to make them run away? Hahaha!" The men began to laugh at the half-drunken man's statement, each putting in a jib.

"Yeah! Maybe he'll throw some noodles at them, and tell them to glue together a pretty picture!"

"No! He'll draw a dragon and have it consume them with its fiery, papery gaze! Hahaha!"

"No no no! He'll put some toothpicks together and make a bridge for them to fall off of! Hehehe!" Deidara took it all stoically, then smiled once more.

"May I see that canteen once more?" The man holding it smiled, handing it to him as another made a joke. Imperceptibly, Deidara dropped a small piece of clay into the canteen, pretending to drink from it. Then, he handed it back to another man. "Here...but you may want to lay off the liquor for a while." The man glanced questioningly at him.

"What? Why?" Deidara smiled mockingly at him, placing his hands together in a hand-sign.

"Because...alcohol is flammable! KATSU!" The man dropped the canteen as it shook, and they all dove away as it exploded, sending glass shards flying through the air. Using a kunai to deflect the largest of shards, Deidara smiled once more, placing his weapon back into his pocket. "As I said. I am an artist. My jutsu is my art, and my art...is a blast!" The men still lay huddled on the ground as Yodae got up, brushing down his uniform.

"Err...right. Let's get back on the road then, men! We still have quite a ways to go. We will make the next town by nightfall, and stay in the inn. Until then, we have to march straight on through!" The men began to grumble as they mounted their steeds once more, riding off with the carriage. Deidara hopped back to the top of the carriage, sitting down and meditating for a while. Suddenly, a knock from below made him start. Scratching his head, he bent down to look into the window, seeing two large, brown orbs staring back at him. He got over his momentary shock in an instant.

"Err...yes...er...Shizune-hime?" She twittered slightly, but made no other notice to the added part of her name.

"No no, dear shinobi. Please, call me Shizune. I get enough of being called a princess back at the mansion." He smiled, nodding his head.

"As you wish...Shizune." She smiled, sitting back down.

"Please, attend me here. I wish to speak to you." He got up from his position, scratching his head once more.

"Ok, Deidara. You...you just have to get over this, un. This is just a female. A cute...beautiful...attractive...gorgeous...sensuous...no no no! A female! Just a mission. Come on man, get it together, un!" Slapping himself for good measure, and avoiding the questioning glances from the men at the back of the carriage, he slipped into the carriage from one of the windows as it rolled on, settling himself onto the seat opposite the woman. She smiled again, and his heart melted within his chest. However, his shinobi training allowed him to keep a tight face, and he smiled back, waving at her. "Err...Hello. What is it you wanted to talk to me about, un?" She laughed again, settling back herself.

"You know...Deidara-kun, was it?" He shook his head.

"If you allowed me to drop the formalities, than it is just Deidara, un." Shizune nodded, blushing slightly.

"Very well...Deidara. You...have an interesting attack. Is that...err...is that clay you use?" He smiled, opening his pocket and showing her the clay it contained.

"Yes...yes it is. I transfer my chakra into it, and I can make it explode, depending on the amount that is transferred, un." She seemed pleased by the statement, but kept her silence. Together, they rode in the carriage for about an hour, neither saying a word. Then, Deidara felt that it was his duty to break the silence. "So...this guy you're marrying. Is he...handsome?" She sighed, looking out the window.

"I don't really know. We were set to be married not more than a month ago, yet I don't know who he is or what he looks like. All anyone has said to me is that he is some rich land baron that wants me to be his bride to increase his wealth. My father says that it is for the good of the country." She sighed again, still staring out the window. Deidara nodded to himself. That would be a rough existence.

"But...is this marriage...I mean...not to intrude or anything, un." She turned her head, cocking it slightly in a sign for him to go on. "Well...I mean. Is this marriage...what you want?" It took a moment for his words to register...but then she smiled, though he could tell it was as fake as a shinobi's.

"Of course! It is for the good of the country! Any citizen would do the same. It's...it's for the best!" She sniffed slightly, but held her smile. Deidara smiled back, through sheer pity or willingness to believe, he didn't know.

"That...that is good. I would do anything for my city of Iwa as well, so I guess it could be the same as for the country, un." She nodded, staring out the window once more. Deidara fidgeted slightly, glancing about, then at his fingernail, then back at her, and back at his fingernail again. Long, silent rides weren't his thing. Suddenly, Deidara heard an exclamation from outside, and the wagon lurched forward. Shizune felt herself propelled forward with a slight scream. Deidara instinctively threw out his arms, catching her before any harm would befall her. They sat like that for a moment, Shizune staring up into Deidara's sky blue eyes, until he let her go.

"Shizune-hime...please excuse me." Taking a small jump through the window, he rolled to a stop, looking around. A band of thieves, close to thirty, were holding the carriage hostage. Large, thick spears bristled about, and the guards were making the carriage the main source of protection. Deidara bit his lip grimly. _Damn...why is it always me_?

"We have you surrounded! Give us your valuables! Give them to us and we will let you go!" A man, burly and tall, stood out from the main group. Deidara smiled to himself. An easy target.

"We have no real valuables. We are transporting the princess Shizune across the land to her husband. Get out of our way!" Yodae was making a desperate attempt to barter their way through. However, knowing thieves, as he had had many encounters with them, Deidara sighed slightly at Yodae's misuse of words.

"Hmm...a princess, eh? Should fetch a nice ransom from this husband. Right! Hand her over, and the rest of you can go." The guards began glancing at one another. They were in it for the money. Being dead meant that money had little to no value.

"Hey! How about this. I will fight you, one-on-one, and if I win, you let us pass. How about that, un?" Deidara stood up, brushing down his clothes and walking past the guards to the front, where the man stood. The man, obviously the leader through his looks, brawn, and muscle, eyed the smaller, leaner man in front of him. He smiled, than chuckled, than outright laughed.

"Hahahaha! You? Fight me? Don't make me laugh harder! You'll die before we have a minute together! Just hand her over and this will go real smooth!" Deidara shook his head, his voice level.

"No, I can't do that. Just fight me." The man again smiled, than turned to his cohorts, handing them his heavy riding jacket and spear. Deidara handed his belt, along with his clay and weapons, to Yodae. "Here, hold these for me, un." Yodae nodded grimly.

"But, Deidara-kun. These weapons...won't you need them?" Deidara smiled once more, shaking his head.

"No. Besides, this will warm me up and give me something to let out my frustration on, un." Yodae didn't really understand, but backed up nonetheless. The thief walked forward, pointing a hand at Deidara, who stood, arms akimbo.

"Alright then. You win, we'll let you pass. You lose, and the princess goes with us. Deal?" Deidara shook a hand in front of him.

"Yeah yeah. Now, let's fight!" With a roar, the giant of a man threw himself forward. Deidara waited until he was almost on top of him, and then ducked down, catching the man in the gut with his shoulder. Stunned for a moment, the man came back with his hands doubled up, striking down on Deidara's back and letting out a loud crunch. With a grunt, Deidara hit the ground, but was back up a moment later, twirling around the man's head as the bandit flung him away without hardly any effort. Deidara flew through the air, hitting a tree. Before he even hit the ground, he was picked up once more, held against the tree, and punched in the stomach. Once...twice...thrice. He grunted through each hit, feeling them rock his person. Then, he was unceremoniously thrown over the man's head, hitting the ground and rolling. There, he lay in the dust as the man stood above him, eying him. Thrusting out an elbow, he rammed it home, and Deidara's lungs collapsed, whooshing the air from him. With a smile, the man stood, again eying the blond on the ground as he turned back to the guards.

"Alright, enough games. Now, hand over the dame, and you won't get hurt!" He snickered as some of the guards paled. The great shinobi they had hired just got beaten by an average thug. How were they, some regular guards, supposed to beat thirty of them? One man turned, preparing to drag Shizune from the carriage and hand her over, before they all heard a grunt. The roadside thief turned, eying Deidara as he back-sprung back to his feet nimbly and shaking himself soundly.

"Well, that was fun. I needed a good warm-up, un. Though, your form could be a little better." The man growled, again throwing himself head-first at the shinobi. Deidara again waited for him, then side-stepped, giving the man a slight push and felling him to the ground. He grunted, picking himself up.

"I'm...I'm going to rip you apart, you blond freak!" Deidara smiled, putting his hands up. All three of his tongues stuck out as he taunted the man. The man screamed in rage, putting his hands out in front of him and running forward. Deidara met his attack, grasping the man's hands with his own. Thus began a game of push-and-pull, each trying to overbalance the other. The thief pushed hard, bringing Deidara backwards and bending him over. "When I'm done with you...you'll be half the man you are now!" The man sneered down at his smaller adversary, who looked to be losing. His head touched the ground, and then a loud pop was heard. The man blinked several times as Deidara smiled up at him.

"Thanks! I was trying to pop my back for ages now, un! Oh...is it my turn?" With a small grunt, his feet left the ground, planting themselves firmly into the man's torso. Then, he flipped the man up and around, placing him on the flat of his back on the ground. With another flip, he planted both feet into the man's face, driving down into the dirt. With a hop, he was at his feet. Grabbing both of the man's ankles, he twirled him, around and around, then flung him with a mighty roar. The bandit sailed through the air, screaming...until he was cut off by the tree trunk, which stopped his forward momentum...almost. "Ouch! Better have that looked at later, un!" The bandit's men ran to their fallen leader, who was now highly unconscious. With a sneer, one turned back.

"We'll get you back for this! Don't worry about that! We'll get you back!" With a yawn, Deidara turned back to Yodae, who handed him his pouch. He stuck a hand into his clay pocket, feeling the mouth take in some of the material. As the bandits took off into the tree line, carrying their fallen leader, Deidara let loose a creation, shaped like a swan. It shot off from his hand, making a beeline for the woods. As the last bandit made it to the relative safety of the old growth, Deidara brought his hands together.

"Art is...a blast! KATSU!" The bird expanded, exploding and sending shards of rock and wood flying through the air. Shouts and curses rent the otherwise still atmosphere, and Deidara smiled to himself. "Serves them right!" Turning back, he hopped onto the carriage once more. "Well, let's not just sit here. Let's get going, un!" Sitting, he resumed his position of meditation as the guards busied themselves with preparing to move once more. No one noticed a pair of soft, brown eyes peering from the carriage window...nor the smile gracing the pretty face.

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It was nearly midnight when the carriage rolled into the safety of the small, hillside town. A small dog yipped once, then ran off into the night, the only harbinger for their arrival. Standing and stretching, Deidara gazed about, tense and alert after the long carriage ride. He hadn't felt anyone following, of that he was sure. However, one never knew about towns and villages. It could be safe one instant, and then deadly the next. Hopping down, he surveyed the surrounding buildings, until Yodae pointed one out. 

"There! That's a hotel that is run by friends of Lord Pokup's. We will stay there for the night and begin again tomorrow morning." Deidara nodded, hopping off into the night as the guards began to prepare themselves for sleep. Leading Shizune from the carriage, Yodae followed her to the hotel. Her hand lay on the doorknob, about to pull it, when Deidara appeared, hanging down from the rafter.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She gasped, staring up at him as he hung upside down.

"Wh...what do you mean, Deidara-kun?" He smiled at the suffix, but dropped to the ground.

"It seems that we were followed after all...and they knew which hotel we would be staying at." Yodae glanced around, and then pressed an ear to the door. He didn't hear a sound, so he turned back to the shinobi, questioning.

"I don't hear a peep from inside, Deidara-kun. What makes you think that they are waiting for us?" Deidara smiled.

"Of course you don't hear a sound. Though, if I am right, that is because the guests are in their rooms, locked up, and the clerk is probably bound and gagged. Even this late, someone would be up and about, un." He smiled again as he made some hand-signs. "Henge!" A slight puff of smoke appeared, and as it cleared, Shizune again gasped as a perfect likeness of herself stood before her. Deidara smiled once more as he stroked the girl's chin. "Don't worry, Shizune-hime. I will protect you." Then, he turned, motioning them off to the side. "This is one princess they will be sorry to tangle with, un." He opened the door, walking into the hotel and waltzing to the front desk, being sure to strut as much as possible, swishing his hips back and forth in an attempt to look like half a lady. The desk clerk smiled, his mouth tight.

"Erm...what is it I can do for you tonight, milady?" Deidara, made up like Shizune, smiled lavishly, curling a hand underneath the man's chin.

"You are too kind. I need a room for the night. Me and my...err...bodyguards." He nodded, looking down, but glancing at the door to his left every once in a while.

"Er...how many are with you?" Deidara pouted slightly, placing a hand to his chin.

"Let's see...I think about twenty or so. I never was good with numbers." The man nodded once more, still taking anxious glances at the door.

"And...any...er...shinobi with you tonight?" Deidara smiled inwardly. So, they had the desk clerk in on it. Probably against his will.

"Oh heaven's no!" Deidara said it loudly enough to be heard from the other room. "We did have one accompanying us, but we let him go. Too loud, what with his explosions and what not, un." He smiled as small footsteps greeted his hearing from the other room. Then, the clerk smiled back at him, handing him a key and a bottle.

"Your key ma'am. Oh! The bottle is also compliments of the house. A...er...special for the night." Deidara smiled, feigning surprise.

"Why...a bottle? Of wine perhaps? I do like a good wine." He uncorked it as the man behind the desk cast another of his anxious glances towards the door.

"Your bodyguards...er...where are they?" Deidara smiled politely as the bottle rose to his lips.

"Why...they are at the bar across the street. I figured I didn't need them anymore since this town seems so friendly, un." He took a swig, swishing the wine about in his mouth as he tasted it. The taste of the drug was potent enough to make him wince slightly, but he immediately set his chakra into breaking apart the proteins of the substance, rendering it useless. What a pathetic drug as well. Couldn't they have used something a little better then over-the-counter knock out drug? No class, these guys. None whatsoever. He swallowed, feeling the liquor blaze with in him. The wine would have been excellent without the drug in it. Oh well.

"Mmm...delicious! I will just go to my room then." He began to take small, mincing steps towards the stairs on his left, taking him right past the door. All of a sudden, he began to sway, placing a hand to his brow. "Oh...oh dear. I fear I am a mite woozy after that long ride, un. I...I better lie down..." Then, he fell to the ground, being sure not to hit too hard on the wooden floor. The instant the sound of his fall was heard, the door opened, revealing ten, highly armored men. They filed out, looking down at the woman's body.

"Hehehe...fell for the wine trick. Too easy!" One of them picked Deidara up, placing him over his shoulder. The desk clerk fidgeted, glancing around at the armed men.

"I...I did what you asked. Please...please leave..." They sneered at him as one of them placed a small bag on the counter.

"Here, gramps! A little bit for your trouble." He bowed, placing the bag behind the desk.

"Please...don't hurt her..." The bandits smiled, glancing at each other knowingly.

"Oh, don't worry your head over her, grandpa. We'll be sure not to hurt her. She's a princess, right? Sounds to me like we can get a whole lot more for her alive. Of course, if her hubby or her daddy ain't gonna pay, then I guess _we_ can just use her...hehehe..." He smiled evilly, the rest of the men nodding their agreement. Deidara kept feigning unconsciousness, but inwardly, he seethed.

It was about ten minutes later that they arrived at a small, abandoned building on the outskirt of town. Placing Deidara in a chair, they bound him tightly. Laughing to one another, Deidara sat still as more feet sounded out around him.

"So...you did it, huh?" Another man snickered.

"Yeah, sure did, boss. So, when do we ransom her?"

"Tomorrow...first thing." A hand caressed Deidara's lower lip, and he tried not to flinch away from the rough grip.

"She's pretty, ain't she? Almost a shame to have to do it. Oh well...hehehe." Another hand caressed his hair, and he began to quiver with rage inside. Not only were they going to try and ransom him, or him being Shizune, but they were thinking of other things. To top it all off...they were touching his hair!

"She really is pretty. You guys sure she ain't hurt or nothin'?" Another man tried placating him.

"Honest, boss. We didn't do nothin'. She drank the wine, that's all." Another snicker. Then, Deidara felt moist, warm lips press against his. That was all he could stand. His eyes shot open, and he glared at the man who's face was touching his, his own eyes closed. Deidara broke the contact, falling back in his chair and splintering it. Of course, as he did so, he also unbound himself. The fools knew nothing of holding a shinobi. He hopped up to his feet, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Ew! Gross! You idiot's actually...ew!" They looked around at one another, and then back at the girl who was desperately trying to clean her mouth out with a rag.

"I thought you said she was out!" The man who had just kissed him turned to his cohorts, who shrugged.

"We thought she was!" He shook his head, turning back to Deidara as he sized up the small girl in front of him.

"Oh well. Guess we'll have to do this the hard way!" Together, the bandits threw themselves at her, wrestling her to the ground with the sheer weight of bodies. After she was immobilized, the leader wrenched her up, staring at her large doe eyes. "Hehe...got you anyways, my lovely." The girl smiled, bringing her hands together. A puff of smoke dissipated, and in his hands was Deidara, smiling impishly at him.

"Nope, sorry to disappoint you. You only have me!" The man, at a loss for words, held the blond above the floor still, staring madly at the impudence of him.

"You...you..." Deidara smiled again, shrugging.

"I outwitted you again, un." He brought his hand up, waving. "Bye bye!" Then he brought up both hands, making a hand-sign. "KATSU!" The thief dropped him as he began to expand, writhing on the ground.

* * *

"Shizune-hime...are you sure you are comfortable?" Yodae glanced at the girl, who was resting quietly in her large, comfortable bed at the hotel. 

"Yes. Thank you Yodae. You may go now. Tell Deidara-kun thank you and goodnight for me." Yodae bowed slightly, closing the door behind him. Marching resolutely down the stairs, he flopped down in a chair, staring across at the blond opposite him. Deidara had taken to reading a magazine that was lying on the small table that was next to him, smiling.

"A new Icha-Icha is coming out in September. That should be good, un." Yodae shook his head, smiling.

"The princess says thank you and goodnight, Deidara. Oh, by the way. Those thieves...are they taken care of?" Deidara glanced up, then shrugged.

"I don't know..." Then, a loud explosion rent the air, and Deidara sighed a little. "A perfect bang..." Not hearing his exclamation, Yodae looked up.

"What on Earth was that?" Deidara smiled, going back to his magazine.

"That? That was the sound of art, my friend...art, un."

* * *

Next Chapter: Another long road ahead for Deidara. He learns a few things of his past, of his old village...and of a price on his head! Next time - Deidara's Price: 500K 


	6. Chapter 5: Deidara's Price 500k

**Deidara's Story: **

**Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 5: Deidara's Price - 500k**

* * *

Deidara awoke the next morning, yawning and blinking in the sunshine as it cast a pale glaze over his bed. "Hm, almost time to go I think, un." Getting up, he yawned again, stretching. Going to the counter near him in the relatively small room, he dressed, cinching up his headband and smiling into the mirror. "Well! Time to start off a new day, un!"

"Deidara-kun! Are you ready? Shizune-hime is ready if you are." It was one of the guards at his door. He smiled.

"Yes, I'm ready, un!" Opening the door, he slapped the man on the back, walking down the hallway with him. "How'd you sleep last night, un?" The man smiled at him.

"Well, we were too drunk to know offhand. Oh well, we're ready and fit this morning, thanks to a wonderful hang-over antidote that Shizune-hime concocted." Deidara nodded, still smiling.

"Very good!" Once downstairs, he nodded at the guards who were massed around. "Let's go!" They nodded, milling out the door. Apparently, the girl was already in the carriage, making it easy to start the journey onward. Once outside, the group took up position around the carriage, Deidara once again taking up a position on the top. As the convoy left the town, going back into the forest, Deidara sighed, standing on the roof and glancing around. "This is going to be boring without anybody to fight on the way, un. I killed off all those bandits yesterday. Well, if I didn't kill them off, the least they could do would be to attack again, un. For vengeance or whatever." He huffed. "So boring!"

"Ahem...Deidara-kun?" A voice from below caught his attention.

"Hm?" Glancing down, he smiled as a pretty head poked itself out the window. "Oh, Shizune-hime. Good morning. How did you sleep?" She smiled at him, blushing slightly.

"I must say, I was a little...pre-occupied to sleep..." Deidara's eyebrow rose slightly, and her features changed. "I meant that I was thinking." He nodded, smiling as his joke didn't go unnoticed.

"Yes, you had lots to think about, I think." She nodded, looking around at the changing atmosphere.

"If you wouldn't mind...guarding me from inside...so we can talk, perhaps, Deidara-kun?" He nodded, smiling.

"Sure thing!" Slipping in through a window, he sighed as he flopped onto one of the cushions. Pressing his weight against it, he smiled once again. "So...what did you want to talk about then, un?" The Princess Shizune smiled, turning her head slightly.

"I was wondering. Could you...if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I mean. Could you...make me a swan? With your clay?" Deidara smiled. A swan? Was that it? Taking out a glob of clay, he fed his hands, allowing them to munch on the material until it was pliable. Taking it from his orifice, he gently molded, carefully and meticulously. After a moment, he had a swan. Easy enough, for one such as him.

"Here you are, un. One...er, swan!" She smiled once more, and his heart melted in his chest. Reaching out gingerly, she took the earthen creature from its resting place, allowing it to preen its imaginary clay feathers in her grasp.

"I...I had always thought...I would find you again. I didn't...couldn't..." Tears were welling in her eyes as she caressed the creature, and Deidara blinked several times.

"Shizune-hime? Are...are you alright, un?" She gulped, then looked up, her smile much brighter and more irresistible this time.

"Of course. I'm just...I'm just so overwhelmingly joyful I found you again, Deidara-kun!" He gasped slightly as she pressed against him, wrapping her arms around his body and hugging herself to his.

"What do you mean? What do you mean you found me again, un?" He was beginning to hyperventilate. It was something that a good shinobi never allowed himself to do. He never should have shown emotion.

"After the incident...at the village...I thought...thought..." He could feel her tears coursing down his shirt. The fire from her eyes was transposing itself onto his skin, and he could feel it burn his flesh like a flame. Wrapping an arm around her, he patted her back uncomfortably, glancing around at the walls of the carriage in an effort to rid himself of the horribly awkward situation.

"I...um...that is. I don't...um...really know what you're talking about, Shizune-hime. Iwagakure is my home...but it isn't your's. My village is Iwagakure, un." She shook her head, her hands grasping the front of his shirt in an effort to contain her emotions.

"No! You weren't always...always from Iwa, Deidara-kun! You were from my village! Remember? Think!" Deidara's head was swimming. He couldn't focus. He couldn't understand what she was saying. Another village? His home had always been Iwagakure...hadn't it?

"I'm sorry, Shizune-hime. You...you're mistaken, un." Grasping her firmly, he set her down on the other side of the carriage, bowing slightly. "Pardon me. I...I have to go outside now, un." Grabbing the sill of the window, he let himself out and up, back onto the top of the carriage, where he could get some fresh air...and think.

It was nearly mid-day when the carriage stopped to water the horses and allow the men a small reprieve from the day's riding. Already, many were feeling the pressure of sitting on horse-back in their rumps, and some were walking around in a half-daze, trying to relieve the pain. Deidara smiled about, walking to the edge of the small pond they had stopped by. A horse drank thirstily on his left, and he smiled over at it. It rose its head up, gazing at him with soft, brown eyes. He grimaced slightly, thinking back on the carriage incident. Patting it softly, it went back to drinking. In an effort to clear his head, Deidara bent down, cupping water in his hands and splashing it onto his face. Shaking himself fitfully, he returned to his normal self, or so he thought himself normal. Turning, he pulled a wry face at the men standing in a circle, drinking more of the home-made sake. "They never will learn, un." Laying down on the grass, he let his mind drift like the clouds overhead, watching the wind pull and tug them in different directions.

"Deidara-kun...something vexes you?" Yodae...that annoying guy.

"Yes. Is it possible to be from somewhere...that you don't remember, un?" Yodae blinked slightly, sitting in the grass near to the blond as he pondered the question.

"Somewhere you don't remember? Like...a bar or pub or something of that nature? I tell you, Deidara-kun, you are a strange one. How can one be from somewhere that you can't remember?" Deidara shook his head at the rejoinder.

"I...I don't know, un. Funny, it seems strange and weird. But, I feel as if it's true, un." Yodae scratched at his head.

"What's true, Deidara-kun?"

"That I'm from somewhere else. But how can someone forget something so valuable, un?" The question settled on the air for a moment before Yodae laughed slightly to relieve the atmosphere.

"Perhaps you got bumped on the head, Deidara-kun. That sometimes makes a man forget. Aye, forget that and perhaps more. Hahaha!" Getting up, the guard brushed himself off. "Come, we must be on our way, Deidara-kun." Deidara nodded, still pondering the mystery. Forgotten...but not lost. Remembered...but puzzled over. Vague signs of nothing. Mists clearing into bogs of uncertainty. These were things that shinobi pondered on an average basis. To be a shinobi meant that one had to be secretive and quiet. Appear like a sunrise and disappear like the morning dew. But...this mystery. What was it? Walking to the carriage, he hopped back to the roof, sitting in a meditating position and closing his eyes. He would think more about what was going on while the trip continued.

* * *

It wasn't long after they began again that storm clouds brewed in the East. Deidara's eyebrow rose slightly as the clap of thunder in the distance boomed out over the caravan. _I hate rain. I hate thunder. I hate lightning. I hate...weather! _Another clap of thunder rolled down the meadow and into the forest. Thunder...an explosion without the bang. A useless commodity. Getting up, he stretched. He hadn't realized the amount of time he had taken to meditate. "Yodae!" The guard glanced up from his position in the forefront of the caravan. "Let's take a break, huh? The clouds are moving in, and a storm is coming I think, un." Yodae glanced up, noting the wind beginning to blow. 

"Good idea, Deidara-kun. We won't make good time against this storm front. Men! Make ready to camp for the night!" The men nodded, getting off their steeds and leading them to the cover of the forest. The carriage yanked along as the men guarding it led the horses into the tree-line. No sooner had the camp been set and the horses cared for than mother nature unleashed her fury, sending cascading sheets of rain down upon the tents and smothering the small fire they had worked at making. Deidara sat huddled in the leeward side of a tree, looking up into the sky.

"For once...just once! Just once I would like to go on a mission where it didn't rain so damn much, un!" Looking into the dark, the carriage looked like an uneven part of the scenery, standing against the trees and brush surrounding it. "I had better check on Shizune-hime. She hasn't made a peep for a while." Getting up, he quickly made his way to the carriage. "I hate the rain, I hate the rain, I hate the rain!" Getting back under the cover of an awning, he peeped inside. Shizune sat on her bench, reading a book by lamp light. Deidara smiled, unwittingly placing his foot in the wrong area. His position changed, and with a sharp outcry, he slipped, landing in the mud, backside first. He scowled, glaring up into the heavens as the heavy rain poured down. "Great! Not only am I wet...but I'm muddy to! Wonderful, un! That was such a shinobi move...I think I'll do it again, un!" Achieving a standing position once more, he brushed himself off, muttering darkly under his breath. A small titter from above him made him glance upward. Shizune smiled, staring down at the muddied Deidara, who glared back. "Oh ha ha! Laugh...go on. Fine! Laugh. Yuk it up, un! So funny!" Turning, he padded lightly off into the cover of the forest and his tent, to find a drier shirt and pair of pants.

Having reached his tent, he crouched down, entering into the warmer, drier space. Smiling at the warmth, he quickly stripped the wet clothes off, leaving them in a pile outside. They were muddy, so being in a mud pit wouldn't harm them further, or so his reasoning went. Laying down on his mattress, he sighed. He was still wet, but no longer soiled. As an added bonus, it wasn't that cold out. Merely wet, but comfortably warm. A few hours in a tent would soon have him dry. While he air dried, he would figure out the riddle in his head.

"Um...Deidara-kun?" Getting up on an elbow, he glared out into the rain, where Shizune crouched, gazing into his tent.

"Come to laugh at me some more, un?" She giggled slightly, but held her peace. "Well, thanks but no thanks. Why don't you go back to your reading, Shizune-hime. I'm sure no one will attack in this rain." Another small giggle. Her attitude was beginning to become annoying. Not just that, but she was staring at him...without clothes on, or without many clothes on, anyways. "Um...can I help you?" She smiled, reaching behind her.

"I...I thought this could come in handy." An object flew across the space, and he snatched it mid-air, pulling it in close. It was a towel, beautifully embroidered. He stared at it, then back at her.

"Er...thanks, un." She nodded.

"Be well, Deidara-kun." Getting up, she left him to his peace. Half-crouching in the low tent, he quickly whisked the towel about him, feeling the material against his skin like a cloud. He sighed, feeling the weight of conscience weighing down upon him.

"Well...at least you didn't act like a complete jerk, un. Wait...yes you did! You silly bastard!" Sitting down in a huff, he sighed down at his feet. "Way to act the shinobi, Deidara. Way to go indeed, un." Picking up the towel again, he gave it a sniff. Instantly, his body melted, and his pains from the day seemed to absolve themselves. Slowly, he sank to the floor, the towel over his head. "This will all look better in the light...of...day...un." Soon, he began to snore, his moaning lending noise to the maelstrom happening outside of his tent. "I...hate...the rain...un."

* * *

It was almost dawn when a loud cry shook him awake. Deidara rose up, his eyes flashing. "Who? What? Where, un?" Getting up, he quickly threw on his only extra set of clothing, bounding out of his tent. "What's happening?" 

"Drop your weapons, or she dies!" A man had Shizune by the throat, a kunai poised. Deidara blinked several times before shinobi instinct kicked in.

"What do you want here, un?" The man smiled, and then laughed outright. Deidara heard other laughter echoing around the glade, and he glared.

"What do we want? Justice! Freedom! Swift atonement of the ones holding us in the yoke of oppression!" Deidara's eye twitched for a moment before his hand went to his forehead.

"Wait wait wait. Don't tell me you're Red Hand people, un." The man was caught unawares for a moment.

"What do you mean, Red Hand people? We are the freedom fighters of the world! We are the ones who will deliver you..."

"From tyranny and oppression and the cruel axe of irony and blah blah blah. Yes, I've heard it all before, un." Putting his hands up in a show of good faith, he smiled. "Look, no one here needs to be rescued or anything like that. So...just calmly...put the girl down...and..."

"Fool!" He hopped back as two others entered from the treetops, their hands flying. The guards were beginning to mill about, drawing weapons.

"Suiton: Atsubottai Kasumi Tokai no Jutsu!" Almost instantly, the glade became shadowed in a dense fog. Deidara glanced around, scrunching up his face against the wet stickiness that developed.

"This fog is like soup, un. How am I supposed to fight in this?" A voice from the dark abyss answered back.

"That's the point. You are supposed...to die!" A foot lashed out, catching him on the chin and sending the blond sprawling. Lying in the dirt and muck, he looked up in anger. A fist crashed into the bridge of his nose, and he tasted blood pouring down the back of his throat.

"Ouch...that hurt, un." Rubbing his nose, he rolled to the side as another fist crashed down. Grabbing it, he wrenched the owner closer, a kunai already in his other hand. The man gasped as his balance was overwhelmed, and he toppled to the ground. The kunai flashed out, but stopped before doing any damage. "Wait...Yodae?" The guard blinked several times from his position.

"Dei...Deidara-kun? Forgive me. I thought you were one of them." Deidara sneered, kicking him in the side as he stood up.

"Idiot! You attack them, not me, un!" He heard the whistle coming before the weapons penetrated his field of view. Barely able to react in time, Deidara threw up his hand, his own kunai deflecting the enemy's. "This is pissing me off, un!" His left hand dug in his pocket for clay whilst the right was otherwise engaged, the kunai warding off other attacks.

"Doton: Insutanto Ryuusha no Jutsu!" Deidara felt the ground below him begin to cave, and he yelped as he sank down into the loam, his body stuck in the coffin like hole. A ringing laugh echoed around the encampment as frightened animals and men milled about everywhere.

"Hey! Don't step on me! Watch it, un!" Deidara gasped as a horse bucked wildly near him, and he shut his eyes as it stomped the ground mere inches from his face. As he felt it leave, he felt the ground beginning to suck him down further. "I need to get out of here." Looking about him in the fog hazed clearing, his brain suddenly caught onto an idea. "Hey...that could work...or get me killed. Either way, it's got to be better than being sucked under the ground, un." His left hand began churning the dirt, making a small chasm between his pocket and his left hand's mouth. The tongue lolled down, and began feeling its way to the pouch. "A...little...more. There!" Lapping up some clay, it brought it up, beginning to chew...as Deidara was completely immersed in earth!

Far away from the clearing, Shizune's captors were standing around a lake. There were only three of them, but they thought themselves sufficient enough to take out a few guards and one Jounin ranked nin. The obvious commander of the group, a tall, lithe man of about thirty, eyed the girl in front of him. She had been bound and gagged, effectively ending any struggle she could have put up. Though, they figured that she wouldn't have struggled much.

"Good. Now, we just ransom her out. The money should help fund our operation." He smiled, kneeling and rubbing a hand over her cheek. She recoiled slightly, feeling the pressure against her flesh like a hot iron. "Now now, girl. No use crying or struggling. It won't get you anywhere."

Suddenly, the forest went dead, as if the animals were expecting something. The leader glanced up, standing and eying the woods. "Well, let's get out of here. The fog will dissipate slowly enough to let us to get away without too much..." However, his words were cut short as the forest erupted in an explosion, the noise deafening the three as they withstood the initial blast. One threw himself on the ground, attempting to escape the falling debris. The other two merely sidestepped and kicked away the trees and rocks that flew at them. As the atmosphere settled, the leader glanced at his man. "What in Kami's name was that?" A flash flew by, and the man found himself staring at an irate Jounin, his blue eyes flashing dangerously. Deidara's clothes were in shambles, and they hung loosely from his body, patchy and worn.

"Those...were my favorite clothes, un!" The three eyed the Jounin for a moment before they smiled.

"So sorry. But, don't worry. We'll keep the girl as a consolation prize. That way, you won't have to see her anymore, and clothes won't be your biggest worry."

"You can't have her. I need her!" A kunai in his hand, Deidara swung upwards, being countered almost instantly. The man with whom he fought hopped nimbly away, grabbing Shizune on the upbeat and tossing her to his follower.

"You! Get her out of here! I'll take care of him!" He kicked his other man in the foot, making him rise. "Come on, be useful and help me!" He nodded, taking up a stance behind as the other grabbed the girl, hopping across a small lake for the other side. Shizune gave a muffled sob before they were out of hearing distance. "Boy...you should have stayed underground!" He launched himself across the glade, kunai poised. Deidara shook his head, his teeth shining in the sun of the new day.

"Sorry...cold underground, un. I prefer sunlight." They clashed, their kunai's ringing out against the day. The other nin stood to the side, watching the fight. A spear flew in, and he barely dodged in time. Yodae and the other guards were running across the field, and the man glanced desperately at his commander.

"What? Go take care of them! Grow a backbone! I'll take this one." The man nodded, turning to intercept the guards that were running for them. The commanding nin leered down at Deidara as they pushed against one another. "You're going to die here. I'll make the girl scream long and hard before I let her go. That can be on your mind as I send you too hell!" His foot lashed out, catching Deidara in the stomach and doubling him over. The kunai flashed down, and Deidara rolled to the side, feeling it catch on his shirt. However, his left hand was already at work, chewing more clay. The man in front of him sneered, hands flying in a jutsu. "Are you a gambling man? I am...Hahaha!" His hands stopped, ending in the sign for ox.

"Ninpou: Ichibanshoubu no Jutsu!" His hands flew down, grounding themselves. A pair of large, purple dice erupted from the ground, settling in front of the two. The man smiled, placing a foot on one as he eyed the blond in front of him. "This is my die roll technique. Choose a die. If you roll higher than me, you lose. If you roll lower than me, I win." Deidara quickly calculated the odds in his head. Higher...lose. Lower...win. His brain ached with thinking, so he smiled.

"Fine! Left!" The man nodded, making another hand-sign. The die flew in the air, twirling and spinning around. Then, they began to fall, still twirling. Hitting the ground with a thump, Deidara gasped at his die. He had rolled one. He smiled as the other die turned up five. "Ha! Lower! I win!" The man smiled.

"Wrong, shinobi! I win! Remember, higher, you lose, lower, I win. So, I win! Your penalty...is death!" The die began to spin...faster and faster in front of the confused Deidara. He cursed himself for never learning how to play games. Suddenly, it stopped, the six in front of him. The holes in the die opened, and senbon sprayed out. Deidara had no time to react as his body was covered in the pointed objects. With a groan, he fell to the ground, his eyes closing. The Red Hand shinobi smiled above him, shaking his head. "Your luck just ran out, Iwa-nin. You lose!" He began to laugh, turning to go find his other compatriot and the girl. However, his laugh turned into a grunt, and he glanced down at the kunai appearing from his middle. A gurgle arose in his throat as Deidara smiled from his left.

"Sorry...never really believed in luck, un!" Hopping away across the water, Deidara made a single hand-sign. "Katsu!" The Red Hand nin gave one last cry as the clay kunai burst into an explosion, sending him into the next life. Deidara smiled, hopping across the water to the other side. Looking down, he noticed the broken plants and slight footsteps of a petite form. "I'm coming...Shizune-hime."

In a meadow on the other side of the small forest, the third nin kicked the prostrate form of Shizune, who had taken to sobbing lightly. "Quit your whinin'. You should act like a shinobi! No crying!"

"No crying? I'm sure I can make you cry sooner or later, un!" The man gasped, turning around as a fist planted into his face. Deidara glared at the man as he was thrown head over heels, coming to rest against a rock near the middle. Taking out a kunai, Deidara slashed Shizune's bonds, and she smiled weakly up at him.

"Deidara-kun. You...you..." He shushed her, standing back up to stare down the other nin.

The nin in front of him sneered, pointing a finger at them both as he yelled out, "you! You...bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Just then, a small mound of dirt began to form in front of him, and the shinobi glanced down, staring inquisitively at it. Deidara's head popped up, looking around. Then, he extricated himself from the dirt, shaking himself off before waving at the Deidara across the field.

"Alright! It's done!" Then, with a poof, he was gone. The Red Hand nin glared about.

"What? What's done? What did you do?" Deidara smiled at him.

"I had my clone plant some explosives around. Don't worry. As long as you don't move from that spot, you aren't in any danger!" Picking Shizune up in his arms, he turned, beginning to walk away.

"You coward! Come back here and fight me fair!" Deidara turned his head to address the angered man.

"Coward? Coward's pick fights with women who can't defend themselves, un. If anyone is the coward here...you are! Tah tah!" Resolutely, the blond walked out of the clearing, leaving the man high and dry on the rock, staring out into a sea of uncertainty, and unless he was careful...certain death!

Back at the small pond, Yodae and his men, though severely bruised, battered, and tired, had managed to subdue their man. He lay on the ground, glaring about him, though obviously scared. Deidara smiled down at him as he struggled vainly against the bonds that held him. "Don't try to struggle, un. I'm sure Yodae and the others have been trained for these kinds of situations." Looking up, he nodded at the guards, who smiled back. Yodae gave a weak salute before allowing his arm to rest against his side tiredly.

"Deidara-kun...you...you did it! You rescued Shizune-hime." Deidara nodded, looking down at the woman in his arms. She had long since fallen asleep, her body worn and tired from the day's episode. Deidara felt his own body like a weight, his legs barely keeping him up.

"Yeah. It wasn't too hard, un. I feel bad for that other guy...but I'm sure that..." However, his words were interrupted by a loud explosion nearly a mile off. The guards and Yodae watched a plume of smoke and dirt rise into the air, and Yodae scratched his head.

"What on Kami's great Earth was that?" Deidara sighed, walking towards where the carriage should be.

"That...was the wrong place to walk, I think."

Lifting Shizune carefully, he set her down on the carriage seats, stepping out gingerly. "Dei...Deidara-kun?" Looking up, he smiled, waving at her.

"Yep. You're safe, un. Go to sleep." Shizune shook her head, getting up slightly.

"No. No, I'm fine. Just...woozy, I suppose. Please, stay with me, Deidara-kun." Deidara grimaced, looking about him.

"I...really should be seeing to the campsite, un."

"Please...Deidara-kun?" Deidara sighed, getting back inside and closing the door.

"Ok. Sure, I'll stay. But I think that if I do, you should tell me some things. Like...where I came from before Iwa, un."

Shizune blinked several times, as if registering the comment. "Where...you came from? You don't remember?" Deidara shook his head.

"No. I don't. I don't really remember anything from my past." He smiled, laying back and tapping his head. "I guess all those knocks to my noggin never helped matters, un." She tittered slightly, but held her peace.

"Deidara-kun. You and I came from the same village. The village of Genso. Don't you remember?" He blinked, feeling through his clouded memories for any recognition of the name or anyone from it.

"Hm...I don't really know. I can't say for sure if I remember, un. Wait!" His eyes lit up, and he smiled. "I do remember! At least, I think I do, un!" Shizune smiled, waiting. "There was...a school. There was...a girl. A girl...who was kind and thoughtful, un. I thought...she was the most beautiful girl in the world!" He was excited now. "I...I went to class. We...we were doing something with clay! I made a swan, if I remember correctly. Hm...yes! A swan! I...gave it to the girl, but someone took it away. That boy. That..." His hand began to tremble, and he looked down at it. "That boy took it, began to pull it apart. I tried to stop him. But...he..." As he talked, a tear fell from his face. "He...died. I...I killed him."

"No!" Shizune stuck her face up to his, glaring at him. "No! No you didn't! He brought that on himself! How could you have known?" He shook his head, looking back at his hand.

"But...it was me. I did it. I..." Turning from her, he dashed from the carriage, taking to the treetops and hopping through the branches and foliage. After having attained the height of the trees, he stopped, gasping for breath as the thunder clouds clapped in the distance. "Who...who..." Looking up into the clouds, he grimaced, then threw out his hands. "WHO AM I?" A lightning bolt struck the tree he stood on, sending him falling, whirling in a world of chaos and discord. The last thing he felt was the ground beneath him, swallowing him into the world of darkness.

When he awoke, he pressed a hand to his head. He could tell that he was moving, his body jostling slightly back and forth. Getting up, he gave a sharp intake of breath. His head felt like it was on fire, and he could hardly think straight.

"Where...where..."

"You are with me, Deidara-kun. We found you out in the woods. Just one more knock to your noggin', eh?" A wet, damp cloth pressed itself to his forehead, and he sighed. Glancing up, he smiled at the girl who was tending to him inside the carriage.

"Thank you, Shizune-hime." She nodded, smiling back.

"Deidara. Before you left, you mentioned a boy. A boy you said you killed." Deidara nodded, sitting back and remembering that fateful day in the playground. That horrible day... "Deidara, it wasn't you. You can't blame yourself." He nodded, looking at his open mouthed hand as it panted at him.

Sitting back up, he winced at the pain in his head. "Well, it's good to know that I have a past. After all the fighting I had done...I kind of forgot I had one. Hm...maybe I'll go back to it one day and figure things out. Talk to the people and see who I was, my mother was...things like that, un." He smiled once again, leaning back on the cushions.

Shizune shook her head gravely. "I'm sorry, Deidara-kun. But...that wouldn't be a good idea."

"What? Why not, un?"

"Because...there is a price on your head in our old village." Deidara blinked at her statement, and lifted himself off the cushions once more.

"A...price, un? Why hasn't anyone told me?" The girl smiled, almost chuckling.

"My father has cut ties with the village since he found the mine...and I never really had any friends there anyways. Besides, I couldn't be sure it was you until just recently." Turning to him, she smiled. "The man whose son was killed. He has placed a price on your head."

Deidara nodded, thinking to himself. "Hmm...but I wonder how much is enough for me, un?" Shizune sighed, looking down as she twiddled her fingers.

"The last time I heard, it was at five-hundred thousand yen. That was the last time, almost five years ago. I don't know how much it is now. Possibly more. However, the fact that it still remains makes it that much more dangerous for you." Deidara nodded.

"I see. Thank you for telling me, Shizune-hime. I suppose that I will have to go back later on and give atonement. But..." and now he stood, shaking himself off. "First, let's get you married, hm?" Shizune looked up, smiling slightly, and nodded as well.

"Yes...without more mishaps, I hope." Deidara smiled back, exiting the carriage.

"Deidara-kun! You're alright!" Yodae and a few of his men came running up, panting slightly as Yodae saluted. "Good! Good! I was wondering whether you would survive that. It was a nasty fall you took, Deidara-kun!"

Deidara smiled back, nodding and taking the man's hand. "Ah, that it was. But, I'm fine now..."

"Probably because of Shizune-hime, hm? Well well, good going!" Yodae said, laughing. Deidara grimaced, blushing slightly. Letting go of his hand-hold on Yodae, he jumped to the top of the carriage.

"Alright then! Let's get going! We have a ways to go before we get to the castle, un!" The others nodded, and Yodae shouted out for the men to get on their horses. As Deidara sat, he began to ponder. Five-hundred thousand? If worse came to worse, and he needed money, he could always get Yanoi to bring him in for the ransom. He laughed slightly, looking up into the sky. He wondered how she was doing back at home...and how home was doing without him.

* * *

Suiton: Atsubottai Kasumi Tokai no Jutsu - Water Release: Heavy Mist Of Concealment Technique

Doton: Insutanto Ryuusha no Jutsu – Earth Release: Instant Quicksand Technique

Ninpou: Ichibanshoubu no Jutsu - Dice Roll Of Chance Technique

A/N: As this is the last thing I will type up before Christmas, I wish to say to you all Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah! Happy Quanzah! Oh! And if I mispelled anything in there, then sorry. I never was good at spelling. Happy Holidays, everyone! Hope you all get what you wanted for Christmas!

...I want more love and joy. But, that will never happen. So HA!


	7. Chapter 6: 'Til Death Do Us Part

**Deidara's Story **

**Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 6: 'Til Death Do Us Part**

* * *

Deidara idly sat on the top cover of the moving carriage, allowing a butterfly to flit around his face and head. Calling it back to his hand, its wings flapped gracefully with every small breath of air or wisp of wind.

"Deidara-kun? We will be stopping for a short break soon. If you wish, you may come down and talk with the men," Yodae said, smiling up at him.

Deidara sat where he was, gazing down at the man with uninterested eyes. "No, I'll stay up here. It's more peaceful than standing around drinking with those guys, un." Yodae sighed, but gave up, shrugging and turning around to get back to the head of the column. Laying back, Deidara allowed the butterfly to once again be on its merry way, flapping through the day sky, keeping in sync with the men below.

Ever since the talk he and Shizune had had, he never had been at ease. True, his past was still a mystery to him. He could only vaguely remember bits and pieces of it. The reward on his head, though not troubling, was more perturbing than anything. A rogue ninja looking for some cash may try, but as Shizune had said, the bounty had been placed many years ago, and so far, none had had the gall to try and claim it. Suddenly, the wagon came to a stop, and gratified voices began to permeate the air. Grunting, Deidara slowly sat up, surveying the surrounding area. They had stopped by a lake, a large one to the looks of it. The tranquil waters teemed with insect life, and Deidara blew a gnat from his nose.

"If it isn't made of clay...it's annoying, un." Hopping down from the carriage, Deidara quickly went to the lake, sitting down by it and getting into a more relaxed position. They had been carrying on almost non-stop for an entire afternoon, so he was sure that he would have a chance to meditate a little longer than most times. Humming slightly to himself, to achieve a higher form of peace, he smiled. The buzzing of insects and the gentle lapping as the wind played with the water's surface made it relatively calm.

"Dei...Deidara-kun?" Opening one eye, Deidara looked up at where Shizune's form stood, looking down at him. "Are you alright?"

"Hn. Just meditating, Shizune-hime. What is it?" Shizune smiled, sitting down and crossing her own legs.

"I was just lonely...and a little bored."

"Yes, it can be boring inside that carriage, I imagine. You may meditate with me if you wish, un." Closing his eye again, he began to hum once more. Shizune smiled, almost coming to a giggle. She hadn't realized how calm the blond could be, what with his hyperactive explosions and his fighting style. Closing her own eyes and getting into his position, she hummed with him, and soon, the men around the carriage eyed the pair sitting by the lake, cross-legged, humming.

After an hour or so, Deidara smiled, opening his eyes and standing. "Well, that was a good session. But come, Shizune-hime. It is time to begin the journey once again." Shizune didn't immediately open her eyes, so Deidara stood politely by while she finished. Slowly, she indeed came out of it, smiling and standing.

"That is most relaxing, Deidara-kun. Thank you." Deidara bowed, indicating the open carriage, which Shizune went to, entering and closing the door behind her. A few hops, and Deidara was also on top, pointing towards the road. The men took the hint, saddling back up and beginning the journey towards the Lord's manor once more.

* * *

However, the small brigade didn't get very far. Evil looking clouds again began to stir in the East, and Yodae glanced at them every moment he had a notion. Deidara was also looking at them, knowing that before the day was through, the clouds would open up, creating another maelstrom. "Man...I hate the rain." 

His prediction became true, as torrential torrents of water began to spew from an angry sky. Lightning cracked the peace, and Deidara stood, ultimately drenched, on top of the carriage. Hugging his jacket and cloak about him tighter, he signaled down to Yodae, shouting to be heard above the wind. "Hey! We can't go on much farther like this, un! We have to get out and find shelter for the night!" Yodae looked up at him, much worse for wear.

"Hai, Deidara-kun! Let's find a grove of trees. We'll rope the horses and begin again in the morning!" Deidara nodded, sitting back down in the rain. He hadn't really thought that it would rain that much on one trip. But of course, much like him, he figured the weather was still just...winging it.

It was fortunate for the group that the lake shared boundaries with a large copse of trees. Large, stately members rose into the heavens, being buffeted this way and that by the wind and rain. Deidara chose a spot that seemed better than the rest, shorter trees that would give better refuge from rain, wind, and if it happened, lightning. The carriage pulled into the stand, and the men began getting off their mounts. Tents were erected in moments, some men having trouble as the wind made tent erecting difficult at times. Deidara merely created a bunshin and had it help him. When he was satisfied, he dissipated the jutsu, getting inside the tent and smiling to himself at the rate the other men were going. "They'll be soaked to the bone before they have a tent pitched. Maybe I should go help them? Hm...maybe not. They're not paying me to help with tents, un. Heh he..." Closing his eyes, the shinobi soon found himself in a state of sleep. The trip had taken more of a toll on him than he had thought, so it was less than easy to slumber amid the noise.

* * *

It was late at night when Deidara felt an uneasiness awaken him. The storm was still raging outside his tent, and he groped his face, willing himself awake. He couldn't hear anyone else outside, so he figured they were all asleep. Quietly, he exited the tent, holding a cloak above his head to ward off the rain. Gazing about, he saw the carriage in a small stand a little ways off, sheltered against the leeward side of the storm. "I'll check on Shizune-hime. That will help set my mind at ease, un." Fighting the wind, he began a game of push-and-pull, one foot at a time planting into the mud that the storm had created. Finally, he made it to the carriage. Pulling himself up, he looked inside. "Shizune-hime?" However, nothing was inside the carriage. The lamp was gone, along with Shizune's only clothes and Shizune herself. Startled, Deidara turned towards the darkness, calling out for her. When nothing answered, he grumbled to himself. "Shizune-hime...if you are going to the bathroom, then I'm sorry, but it isn't funny, un." Looking down on the ground, he found a set of footprints leading away from the carriage. Following them like a bloodhound, he tracked her to the edge of the woods, leading towards the mountain range in the distance. "Shizune-hime..." He took the initiative, bounding through the trees in search of his princess. 

Shizune was busily crashing through the bushes, her clothes bag in her right hand, her lamp in the other. Strange noises pervaded her senses, and at times, she had to withhold screams of fright when animal eyes peeped at her from within the nearby woodlands. She hated running like that, but she didn't have any other alternative. She had to get as far away as possible in one night. Surely, Deidara-kun would still be asleep until the morning, and by then, the storm would wash all tracks of her away. She would send her father a ransom note, saying that she had been kidnapped and killed, but her body was for sale. He, of course, wouldn't pay to just have his daughter's body back. In fact, he would probably go find a new woman to be his wife to make him a new daughter to set his mind at ease. That would be perfectly fine with her. She didn't need to be the wife of a man that she didn't even know, anyways.

"I...I just have to get...get away! I...I don't want to marry anyone. I...AIIIIIEEEE!!!" A pair of large, yellow eyes batted at her, and she recoiled. The owl hooted at her, then flew off into the surrounding trees. "Oh, how I wish father had given me survival training." Turning towards the North, she began making her way through the dense patches of trees and thickets. Her eyes shut tight whenever a thorn or vine lashed her legs or arms. Her skin was wet with sweat and rainwater from having fought her way through the wilderness. She was soaking, cold, miserable, and scared. If it hadn't been storming, she may have fared better, but as it stood, the storm was the only reasonable way for her to escape. If she didn't, then...

She shook her head. She didn't want to contemplate what would await her at the Lord's manor. She would be the trophy wife. Nothing in her future but babies and...more babies. The good of the land, right? The land could burn for all she cared! She didn't give one iota for the land or her rich father's boundaries.

Crying out as a branch caught her across her knee, she stumbled, sitting down on the cold, wet ground. Rubbing her knee ruefully, she sighed, keeping her lamp close to her. A hiss behind her made her freeze, and she turned, putting her lamp out in front of her so she could see. A large snake, red and black banded, stood in her path, hissing dangerously. Two very large fangs reared from its head, and it eyed her with a deadly intent. Screaming, she tossed her lamp at it, picking herself up and hobbling as fast as possible in a different direction. Tearing through bushes and tree groves, she fought madly to extricate herself and get as far as possible from the terror on the ground.

She hadn't been watching where she was going in her blind madness, however. She felt her foot slip slightly, only then taking the opportunity to look down at where she was stepping...which just happened to be over a cliff. She screamed again, twisting and catching herself on a root. There, she hung grimly on, not having the strength to pull herself back up. Her voice caught in her throat as the wind whistled in her ears. Looking down, she gulped. In the darkness, she couldn't see the bottom of the canyon. Still hanging on grimly, she sighed to herself. So...this was it, huh? Well, at least this way, she wouldn't feel it. The impact would crush her skull and vital organs, causing her death in less than a few seconds. This was a better ending to her life than to be locked up in some castle, rearing babies until she was an old maid, then being put out to pasture like all the man's other wives.

"Hmm...so, you find that hanging off the side of a cliff at night is better than a cozy carriage, un? What is it that you were trying to accomplish, Shizune-hime?" Shizune blinked, looking up as Deidara stood looking down at her.

Shizune opened her mouth to talk, but the wind took the breath from her lungs, so she just closed her mouth once again. Deidara smiled. "Seems to me that you don't really want to go get married. Is that it, un?" Bending down, he continued. "Of course, my mission constitutes that you have to arrive safely to the Lord's manor. If you die in a fall, my mission is null and void, and I don't get my money. Do you see the quandary that I'm in here, Shizune-hime?" She looked up, a tear coursing down her face. Deidara instantly regretted his words. Reaching down, he grasped her hand, smiling. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall, un." He began to pull her forward, when she stopped him, planting her feet in the side of the wall.

"I'm...sorry Deidara-kun. I'm so sorry. Please...forgive me!" With a wrench, she pulled back hard, releasing Deidara's grasp on her and making her plummet to the ground below. She withheld her scream in her lungs, hoping the ground was hard enough to kill her as instantly as she thought possible. Down and down she plummeted, until she thought that there may not have been a bottom to the gorge. It was a just a big, empty hole...kind of like her life.

She screamed out suddenly as she was caught mid-air. Two arms grasped her, and an angry pair of blue eyes met her own. "What the hell were you thinking just then, un? Trying to kill yourself? What do you think I am?" Her mouth moved of its own accord, but no words came. Looking down, she saw herself flying on a bird made of clay. It was having difficulty staying in position as the wind buffeted it about. Sending it back up, Deidara and Shizune quickly found the ledge again. Hopping down with her, Deidara turned, sending his bird skyward. "Katsu!" It exploded beautifully, the light from the explosion casting a pall upon the scenery. Looking around in the split second he needed, Deidara spied a small cave set into the cropping of the mountainside. Knowing that both were in need of slumber, he grasped Shizune's arm, pulling her towards the mountain. She didn't dare struggle, knowing the lengths the blond would go to keep his mission from failing.

Soon, they were huddled in the cave. Deidara started a small fire with some dry moss he had found in the back of the small cave, along with a small chunk of clay that set the spark. The fire roared to life later as the wet sticks he added dried, crackling merrily against the dank background. Deidara sat the girl down on the inside cave area of the fire, setting himself on the opposite side nearest the cave mouth.

"Now, Shizune-hime. You will tell me what you hoped to accomplish with this. What were you planning on doing, un?" Shizune sat, entranced by the fire. She was thoroughly wet, her clothes sticking to her like an outer skin. She was also quite tired, having run half the night. "Well!?" She snapped out of her delirium, looking up at the blond, who was glaring daggers at her.

"I...I..."

"You what? Wanted to get away? Stop acting like a foolish two year old, Shizune-hime. It's time you started acting like an adult. This mission is for the good of the country, you said so yourself."

"Good of the country!? Whatever did this damn country do for me?" Deidara blinked, taken aback by the girl's words.

"What? This is your country, Shizune-hime! You were born here, this is yours by right! You protect it by going ahead with this matrimony, un!"

"What do you know of what is right for the country and not, huh? You're a shinobi! You were brought up thinking that the country and everything in it needs protecting!" Shizune was shouting now, her voice echoing around the cave. "But, this country does nothing but take! It takes and takes, and gives nothing back! The aristocrats are the only ones who benefit from people like me and you who give everything to keep the country together! We get nothing from it! Screw this country! I hate it!" She huffed, turning her back on the shinobi and the fire, instead finding quiet warmth with her resolution.

"Shizune-hime..."

"No! I don't care anymore! I never wanted this marriage!" Still turned away, tears began to fall unchecked. "You don't know what it's like. Being told that you have to marry someone that you don't know. I've never even seen his face. I don't know what the man looks like. He's a stranger, and I'm supposed to love him because people tell me to? What kind of life is that? I'm...I'm not that strong. I can't live that way..."

"...So you decided to run away? Even to take your own life?" Deidara sat back, pondering. The life she was talking about would be rough, but then again, he wasn't in that quandary. "But, Shizune-hime, why didn't you say anything?"

"Do you really think it would have mattered? Do you think that it would have really mattered what I wanted? My father only cares about one thing...the bottom line! You're just like him! All you want is the money! That's all you ever were in it for!" Her hand was at her face, brushing tears away slower than she was shedding them. "I cried myself to sleep every night, ever since my father told me what he had in store for me. I...I never got to play with other children. My father thought that if I did, I would gain relationships...I would feel things that he didn't want me to feel for anyone else but...but..."

"But for someone that you didn't even know." Deidara gazed into the fire, the story becoming clear. "Without knowing your own kind of love, you would only know the kind he wanted you to. Love...that is forced. Interesting concept. Never would have worked...but still interesting." She sniffled, turning around.

"But, what do you care? You've succeeded in stopping my demise. But let me tell you something, Deidara-kun! I don't care. I'll escape as many times as it takes. When you're asleep, I may borrow your kunai one night! You won't be able to rescue someone who has no blood!" Deidara sat, nervous and edgy. Suddenly, he sighed. Opening his pack, he took out a kunai, glancing at it as the light began to play on its edge. Shizune glanced at it as well, then back at him. "What are you doing?" Deidara smiled, tossing it to her.

"Here. If you're going to do it, better make it quick." She blinked at the knife in her hand, then back at him.

"But...your mission..."

"My mission is to see you to your wedding. If you truly wish to stop it, this is the only way you can. However, since I have not failed a mission, ever, my track record will be ruined, and I can't live with the shame." Taking out another kunai, he smiled at it. "The minute your blood hits the ground, I will mingle mine with it. That is the shinobi way of honor." Placing the weapon to his neck, he smiled. She screamed out as the kunai grazed him lightly, leaving a small trail of blood in its wake. He coughed, but didn't otherwise move. Pressing a hand to it, he fingered the wound, looking at the blood on his fingers. "Hurts more than I thought it would." Turning to her again, he pressed the kunai back to his neck. "Well, Shizune-hime. Ready when you are." She grimaced, looking down at the weapon in her hand. Nodding, she placed it to her neck, then looked back at Deidara, who was still smiling.

The seconds ticked away like hours, as each passing moment saw them, sitting in that position. Suddenly, Shizune sighed, putting the kunai down. Deidara's eyebrow rose. "I...I can't do it. Not if you kill yourself when I'm gone, Deidara-kun. I...couldn't live with myself."

"That's the beauty of the plan, Shizune-hime. You won't be alive anymore, un." She looked up, aghast as to what he was saying.

"You have something to live for, Deidara-kun! I don't! You shouldn't have to die because I do! That's not right!"

Deidara smiled back at her, the kunai still at his neck. "Shizune-hime, I would rather kill myself because of an honor code than kill myself because I saw you do it, un." She blinked. Picking the knife back up, she looked at it.

"I have contemplated killing myself for months. I almost did it tonight. Almost." Then, she smiled. "But, you reminded me of the things that I have to live for. The things...that I need to do still." Throwing the knife back to him, she sat, splaying her legs out. "Thank you, Deidara-kun. I...had lost sight of purpose. I have that purpose back again." Deidara smiled, replacing the kunai back into his pouch.

"That's why I'm here, Shizune-hime. I protect you from others...but I also protect you...from you, un."

She smiled back at him. "Thank you, Deidara-kun. I think...I'll take a nap now." Laying down, she pulled herself up into a ball, closing her eyes. About a minute later, she began to shiver, feeling the cold creeping up on her despite the fire. A large object hit her, and she looked up, seeing the cloak on her. Deidara, wearing nothing but his t-shirt and long, baggy pants, went to sleep near the cave mouth.

"I'll sleep here. You can take the fire. It will be easier and safer that way." Putting his back to the cave wall, he closed his eyes. He was soon shivering as well, the cold from the outside cave mouth making his already wet body cool down by fractions. Shizune heard his teeth clatter together about ten minutes into the night, and she smiled to herself.

The dawn rays of the sun broke the Eastern sky the next morning, heralding in the new day. Skylarks and jays flitted gracefully through the trees, singing out their songs of the morning. Already, the forest was coming alive with activity, as all over, animals began cleaning up burrows and nests from the storm the night had brought. Of course, all of this was lost to the inhabitants of a certain mountainside cave. Deidara was still asleep, his cloak draped about his shoulders. Next to him, Shizune was snoring peacefully, the otherside of his cloak draped over her...and her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

* * *

A/N: A tiny bit of fluff for those who like fluff! More stuff to happen next chapter! 

Next Chapter: A fight breaks out once again, and Deidara and Shizune find themselves against the enemy. But, much to Deidara's pleasure...Shizune knows how to fight! Next Time: Roadside Ambush, Hidden Ability!


	8. Chapter 7: Hidden Ability

**

* * *

**

Deidara's Story

**Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 6: Roadside Ambush, Hidden Ability**

* * *

Deidara had never thought about any of the deciding factors that had made him do it. In fact, he couldn't even really tell what had led up to the incident. Thinking back as the wagon train rolled on, he scratched his head, willing the thoughts to pervade his silence and make sense of themselves.

_The sun was at the nine 'o clock position, and he had yawned, his lungs extruding the old air in favor of the crisp morning sweetness that now fell upon him. As he stretched, he noticed that his left shoulder had fallen numb during the night. Bewildered, he glanced down, wondering just what it was that had happened. Then, the gentle breathing of the woman that had fallen asleep, using his shoulder as a pillow, was all he could hear._

_Deidara had smiled to himself, thinking...he didn't know what. But, all of a sudden, something fell upon him. Something he had never felt before. He had to blink several times before he was sure that the feeling wouldn't just get up and go away. But...there it was. _

_Shizune...asleep next to him. It felt...right, in a way. Not the sort of right that he was used to, but the right that he could tell, without a moment's hesitation, was supposed to be. Then, it had happened._

_Her glossy lips were pointed at him. He felt his gaze drawn to them. He felt himself pulled towards them like a wasp to honey. Slowly...painfully, almost...he leant over and placed his own lips on hers. The feeling exhilarated him. His body tingled with an intense, insane energy that he had never experienced before. Kissing Shizune was nothing close to kissing Yanoi. Yes, he loved Yanoi with his whole heart. He someday wanted to call her his own. But...something there in that cave. Something about Shizune-hime. Something...something..._

"_Deidara-kun! Shizune-hime!" The call from the forest interrupted his bliss, and his lips left their slumber upon the warm embrace of Shizune as he sighed. _

"_Damn it. Just like Yodae to interrupt something like this, un." Slowly, his charge awoke, being disturbed by the frantic shouts below. Completely unaware of what had transpired, she yawned, stretching and licking her lips. _

_"Hm...Ohayoo..."_

"_Ohayoo, Shizune-hime." He had smiled at her. Turning her head, she returned his smile sleepily, her eyes closing half-way as if to remember what sleep had really been._

_"What time is it, Deidara-kun?" _

"_Hn. About time to leave. Yodae and the other guards are down below. They..."_

"_Shizune-hime! Deidara-kun! Where are you? We must hurry! We are late, now!" Another sigh passed his lips. It would be forever before he could have another time alone with the girl. In fact, he didn't know if that time would ever come. They were only another day or two away from their target, and after that, he would never see her again. Or, presumably at any case._

"_Hm. Come, Shizune-hime. They are waiting for us, un." Stretching once more, he stood, turning back to proffer a hand to the girl. "Come." She smiled back at him, taking the offered appendage and hauling herself roughly up. Patting down her clothes to rid them of the wrinkles of the night, she stood, nodding slightly at him._

_"I am ready, Deidara-kun. Please...do not tell Yodae what has transpired here." _

_Deidara curtly nodded back. It wouldn't do to worry the man or his followers over the events that had gone on the previous evening. Besides that...it was between he and Shizune._

"_Of course, princess. Let us go, now." _

The rest of the events were truly uninteresting. He had brought Shizune down the mountain, much to the joy of the guards and Yodae. The only question he had received was from one of the minor guards, who had asked why he and Shizune-hime were in a cave to begin with. His answer had been quaint.

"If it was raining outside, and you were outside, and you were wet, cold, and hungry...wouldn't you take shelter in a cave instead of taking the time to build a house, un?" The other guards had laughed, giving him a prod in the ribs and a hearty 'good job'.

The man felt torn by his emotions. He shouldn't feel anything for the woman. She was an assignment and a mission. An obligation, at any rate. Why did he harbor such un-shinobi like qualities? Deidara had a fine woman waiting at home for him, who would meet him with open arms. This wasn't something that he would normally do at the off-chance that he could mess up a good thing.

Deciding to ponder the questions later, he turned his attention to the present. So far, nothing bad had happened. The birds were singing. The grass was green. The wind blew slightly, cooling them off as the sun beat down. It was a beautiful morning to be alive. Beautiful. Riding on top the carriage, Deidara could only speculate that nothing would keep him from his goal.

He was wrong...

--

It was about two-thirty in the afternoon. The sun had continued to beat mercilessly down at the men, causing some of them to remove their standard body armor and cloaks and resort to walking, allowing their animals to carry their gear. The road was dry and dusty, throwing up sediment with every foot fall. Glaring up at the yellow orb in the sky, Deidara grit his teeth.

"It's too hot to be traveling at the moment, un. This heat is almost unbearable. We should find a place to settle down until the afternoon has passed by."

"I wish we could, Deidara-kun. Truly. My men can feel the sweat pour from their backs like water. But, we must deliver Shizune-hime with all haste. Not a moment to spare. We have lost precious time with these raiding bandits," Yodae said simply from his position nearby. Deidara snorted his rebellion. At least it wasn't raining.

_Splash...splash...splash splash..._Quirking his head slightly behind him, he took stock of the road. They had just traveled through a couple of puddles, rippling with the after-effects of the hooves of horses plodding through them.

_Hn. Strange, this road seems better taken care of than that._Uninterested in wondering further, the shinobi turned back to the main road, wary, but bored.

Suddenly, the wheels began to crack on the carriage. The occupant inside gave a scream as the braces holding the vehicle up broke and splintered, sending the cab to the ground in a jarring smash. Thrown from his seat, Deidara was hurled forward. Sensing the ground, he tucked himself in, rolling to a stop before hopping to his feet and turning. The wagon was listing dangerously to the right, threatening to topple...and take those inside down with it. Quickly running forward, Deidara grabbed the knob of the door, thrusting it open and snatching a dazed and confused Shizune from the inside. Hopping a short distance away, both watched the carriage fall, crashing to the right and breaking the windows and framing of the intricate piece of riding equipment.

A yell from Deidara's right caught his attention next. One of the horses bucked, rising up onto its front feet and kicking out at anyone stupid enough to get close. Another quick glance told Deidara everything. Its feet were being eaten upon. Hundreds of small, white grubs were going to work on the beast's legs, and already, the blood was pouring off like a geyser of crimson.

"Get off your horses, un! Now!" The men immediately did as told, those who had rode. Some who didn't tended to their animals, swiping at the grubs with anything that came to hand. Watching this, Deidara inspected the wagon wheels. The same grubs were busy there as well, eating the wood and turning it into a pulpy mess. In a few seconds, a spoke was devoured. "What manner of creature are these?"

"I call them weevil insects." A man stepped from the woods, sneering in their direction. More soon followed, stepping out and wielding all manner of dangerous looking weaponry. "You cross Red Hand land. Leave your equipment here...or die."

"Oh, come on! Not you guys again!" Standing at full height, the man sighed, rubbing a hand through the back of his hair. The Red Hand was beginning to be a real pain in the ass. "What do you guys want now? Haven't I already beaten the hell out of you enough, un?"

The apparent leader of the rabble sneered, placing a hand on the sword at his hip. "You may have beaten scouting parties. But...you never fought me, shinobi scum."

"How can you say that, un? You're a shinobi as well." Deidara, in his attempt at persuading the man to just go away with his irrefutable logic, did the exact opposite. Spitting into the dust, the man crouched, pulling his sword lithely from its sheath.

"I am not a shinobi anymore. Shinobi are the dogs of the country. I am a freedom fighter. I fight for the good of all shinobi. You fools just don't realize it. Now...as I said before, leave your goods, your wagon, and your horses. You will strip all of the weaponry that you have off, and you will walk up the road. Do this now, or we will kill you."

Deidara couldn't even believe his ears. How foolish were shinobi like this? "Well, first off, un. Our wagon is destroyed by your insect things. Our horses are in no better shape. To top it all off, you are really pissing me off now, so, to put it simply, I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request." As the man in front of him blinked, obviously not understanding, Deidara smiled. "Means no."

"Very well." Without another sound, the man suddenly disappeared, he and all of his cohort next to him. Deidara scoffed, pulling a kunai from his bag at his side and sticking his right hand deeply into his clay pouch.

"So, clones. Guess they weren't as stupid as I thought." Turning to the guards, who were busy trying to figure out the situation, Deidara gave them a curt nod. "Don't allow Shizune-hime out of your sight. Whatever you do, she is to remain unharmed...understand?" Deidara was in no mood to play games, nor was he in any real mood to be fighting more Red Hand fools who thought that they were a match for him. It wasn't easy turning Jounin at fifteen. But, he would soon show them exactly how hard it had really been.

However, he hadn't counted on the fact that the shinobi he was facing knew any doton's at all, much less the one that was now being pulled on him. "Doton: Tsuchiwana Tojikomemasu no Jutsu!" Deidara grunted in pain as two rocky spikes protruded from the ground, ripping through the tendons of his foot and ankle and pinning him in place. Of course, that was the least of his worries, as a large wall of rock and dirt formed up and around him, cutting off the light and effectively blinding him with loose soil.

"Hn...damn it. These bastards are really getting on my nerves, un." His left hand opened, allowing three small pieces of clay to drop to the ground. Gritting his teeth, he dipped down, feeling the strain on his foot as he changed positions and ripped more cartilage apart. He blessed his lucky stars that the wound was minor comparatively. The bone would heal, since the rocky spikes hadn't actually pierced through them. Cartilage and muscle was relatively easy to repair, and any good medical shinobi would apply a thorough amount of chakra to it to stem the bleeding.

He could have almost smiled as the pain wracked his body. He didn't have a medical shinobi, and his own medical jutsu was...weak at best. He could perhaps stop the bleeding, but his foot would still be injured for the remainder of the trip. His right hand began to go to work, the kunai flashing down as Deidara attempted to crack the stone and be released. However, the first crack made caused a litany of lightning fast pain bolts to shoot through him. Groaning, he released the kunai, grabbing the rock and attempting to pry it apart.

"It's no good, shinobi." Deidara stopped, glaring up at the face that appeared from within his rocky prison. The man's smile echoed with his self-satisfaction, and a chuckle issued deep within his sternum. "This technique makes you as good as dead. If you try and pry apart the stone, it will grow to handle the pressure. There is only enough air in here for about another two minutes, so, if I were you, I would begin praying to whatever god you believe in. Of course, I doubt that even your god would hear your cries from within this prison." His smile widened, and his chuckle deepened.

Then, something that he couldn't expect happened. Deidara...smiled right back. In fact, his smile was perhaps just as wide, his white teeth flashing at him, mocking him even in the throes of certain death. The man stopped his mocking grin, instead reverting his face to that of a lopsided frown. "No matter how much you think you will escape, you won't. This technique is unbreakable. You're dead. In fact, my three men are just now taking care of your entourage."

However, Deidara's smile never left. "When I get out of here, I'm going to rip your face off, un."

--

Outside, Yodae was having troubles of his own. He had backed up against the carriage, careful to not touch the wheels for fear of invoking the insects to attack him. Grunting as he removed a kunai from his shoulder, he grit his teeth, feeling the slimy thickness of blood seeping down his right arm. Two of his men already lay impaled by weapons. The rest were crowded about the carriage, holding their weapons up as best as possible to fend off any other projectiles.

"Is that the best you idiots have?" A mocking cry rang out from the still forest. Another kunai whipped in, catching the man on Yodae's immediate left just above the collarbone. With a strangled cry, he slipped to the ground, writhing for a moment before ceasing his movement. Another kunai flew in from Yodae's right, and the man had just a second to dodge before he felt it rip into muscle and cartilage.

He hit the ground, holding a hand to his leg to steady it before ripping the offending weapon out and casting it scornfully to the ground.

"Sir, what do we do?" His men were agitated. They hadn't lost anyone up to this point, and they were now threatened with total annihilation.

"We do as promised. We protect Shizune-hime at all costs!"

"But sir, we're getting slaughtered out here! We need to...arg!" Another weapon ceased the man's worries for good. His lifeless body hit the ground as fast as his life had been extinguished, the three senbon sticking out from his forehead. Yodae grimaced, standing up shakily as his blood pumped from his wounds.

Behind him, Shizune stood, eying their surroundings. Her heart flew in her chest, and she could barely breathe. This was her first time in a real combat situation. Yes, she had always been able to fend for herself during sparring matches with her instructor back at the mansion. In fact, her sparring master had always told her that she was one of the deadliest women that he had had the privilege of training.

But, she had never actually used said combat training in real life combat. Men were dying now. Men were going down like flies now. She could hardly even imagine trying to fight back. These were shinobi, out for their blood. Deidara-kun was trapped in a case of rock and earth, and Yodae's men couldn't hope to compete with these blood lusting savages.

"Suiton: Odorimasu Senritsu Riguretto no Jutsu!" From out of nowhere, a wind instrument began to play, its melody being picked up on the wind. Her eyes darted upward into the treetops, where she could spy a shinobi, his loose red garments flowing in the breeze. In his hands, a flute played merrily, and his eyes were closed in concentration, his body swaying gently with the music he put forth.

Suddenly, the puddles on the road began to vibrate, droplets of water dancing on their surface as they began to lift from the ground, twirling around in miniature cyclones of their own. The men pressed in closer as they formed together, one by one, than two by two, than four by four, each time becoming larger and larger, until the men and Shizune found themselves encased within a massive, twirling vortex of water and chaos.

A man near the edge ventured his spear towards the swirling maelstrom. As the sharpened head touched the waters, the spear was sucked from his grasp, the force of it pulling him forward. His face came into contact with the swirling liquid, and he screamed as his flesh was rendered from bone. With a horrid cry, he fell backwards, hands clawing at where his face used to be, nothing more than a piece of broken meat.

Shizune turned her face away from the horrid sight, allowing her gaze to travel back to the water. The group was trapped effectively within the technique. Much to her horror, the water also seemed to buckle in and out, dancing along with the music. Soon, it would creep closer, and then...

They would all look like the face of the man on the ground, whose sobs could be heard slightly above the noise, and whose tears refused to fall from the sockets that had once contained eyes.

--

"Can't you hear it?" The Red Hand soldier was taunting him now, even as he grimaced in pain as the stone anklets grew another size. He could hear his bones crack, and Deidara was distinctly aware of more muscles ripping through. He couldn't take the pain much longer. "Can you hear your comrades? They will die soon...all of them. Perhaps I will end their suffering faster this way. Perhaps...I will kill them without further pain and violence."

Deidara grit his teeth, taking his kunai and chucking it forcefully at the face that he was confronted with. Uninterestedly, the Red Hand merely moved back, the weapon clinking off of the stone and landing on the ground. A moment later, and he was back, his taunting smile still there. "You'd like to kill me, wouldn't you, shinobi? You'd love to watch me burn."

"Hn. Burn isn't what I would want for you, un. I'd merely rip every piece of clothing you had on off you, and toss you into a hornet's nest." Deidara wasn't going to bandy words with the man. He had to find a way out of the mess. He wasn't going to die there. That was for certain.

"Come now. I'm sure, with all of your shinobi training, you can think of a more cruel punishment for me. Look at the pain your friends are in. See the pain you are in. You can come up with more than just a hornets nest, am I right?" The stone's grew again, and Deidara cut off the cry of pain in his throat. "Yes, shinobi. Feel it. Feel the pain you're in now."

However, Deidara's grimace soon turned to a smile, and his head rose up. His piercing blue eyes rested on the Red Hand's dyed yellow ones, a chuckle working up in his throat. "What...what is so funny?" Deidara didn't answer, merely laughing at the scornful face directed at him. "What the hell is so funny!?"

"Hahahaha! You...you Red Hand fools! You never...never take into consideration...the...the...hahahaha!" Deidara, convulsed in mirth, doubled over, hands clutched to his sides in an attempt to stop the pain that was threatening to constrict his airways. The Red Hand soldier sniffed, moving backwards.

"If you think that this is so funny, than I believe that it is time to end the game. Goodbye...shinobi." Wordlessly, the man left, reappearing outside and landing lightly on the ground. His right hand came up, pointer and middle finger pointed to the sky as his eyes closed in concentration. "Kai!" Instantly, the earthen dome behind him crushed inward, crumpling as one would crush together a piece of paper.

When the sound of rending stone behind him ceased, the man took a breath, taking time to look up at the maelstrom of water that was crushing inward. "Well then, that settles that. Now it is time to..."

"Katsu!" The dome of earth expanded once more, and, shocked, the Red Hand nin turned, watching wide-eyed as projections of light erupted from the ball of earth. With a mighty explosion, he was thrown back, feeling the tree behind him stop his backwards momentum and crying out involuntarily at the shock it gave him. Hitting the ground again, he sneered at the form that was calmly making its way to him, a limp in its right leg.

"You...you...shinobi...bastard..."

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, un. Thankfully, you took long enough for my clay jutsu to worm its way low enough into the ground to disrupt your technique, but not be close enough to actually kill me with it." A triumphant smile etched itself on Deidara's face as he leaned over, grabbing the shinobi up by his coat and hauling him up roughly. Slamming his back into the tree, Deidara grinned maniacally at him. "Now, what's that about you killing me, un?"

The shinobi grunted, legs kicking futilely. Then, they stopped as he looked down into Deidara's blue eyes. "Goodbye...shinobi..."

A rain of senbon flew in, one piercing Deidara's arm and the rest falling about harmlessly. Without another moments pause, Deidara turned viciously, holding the other man's body up in an effort to block any more projectiles with his flesh.

"Tell them to stop...or so help me, I'll..."

"You'll what, shinobi? You are in no position to make orders here...hahahaha!" With a poof, the man was gone, replaced by an overtly small stick. Grimacing, Deidara again heard the whistle of senbon, ducking down behind a tree and feeling the weapons sizzle by.

"Damn it...this isn't going well..." His left hand again dove for clay, even as his right hand was busy in his weapons pouch, pulling out two kunai that he held in a scissor-like fashion. "Guess I'll have to figure something out for this situation, un."

--

Back inside the watery tornado, Shizune stood, attempting to make herself as small as possible to afford the men guarding her more room inside. They had already lost two others, having fallen victim to less space and the deadly, swirling waters. The man who had originally tried his luck was being ripped apart slowly, his lifeless body having already been cut virtually in half by the receding technique. A muffled sob caught in Shizune's throat as she took each breath as calmly as possible. Most of the men were in hysterics, screaming and ranting at one another as they jockeyed to be closer towards the middle of the typhoon.

Another man screamed, his arms ripped apart as he accidentally stepped too close to the maelstrom. On the periphery of her hearing, Shizune could make out the flute still playing, high up in the treetops. _If only...I could see..._

_--_

Deidara tucked himself in, avoiding more senbon as he lashed out with his kunai. The two nin he was facing were extremely skilled at staying hidden from view, only occasionally throwing a weapon or launching a weak doton or fuuton at him. The eddying waters that made up the suiton were deafening to his hearing, and so the senbon were extremely difficult to find and dodge.

"What's the matter, shinobi? Having difficulties already?" Deidara grunted, dodging to the right as three senbon pierced the tree he had been hiding next to. Catching his breath, he glanced to his left, attempting to make out the individuals in the woods. It...wasn't working.

"Damn it. These guys are really pissing me off, un." Standing, he ran into the woods further, taking to the trees and hopping from branch to branch to get a better visual.

"Too slow, shinobi!" A man appeared directly in front of him, crashing down and slamming his shoulder into Deidara's middle. As his air left him, Deidara felt himself crashing through boughs and limbs. His back was literally on fire as one particularly large limb smashed through. The Red Hand in front of him smiled as the ground came closer...closer...

Then, it was Deidara's turn to smile back. The man glanced up where the blond's grin was plastered on his face, and he grimaced.

"Now you die, shinobi!"

"Wrong...you die, now...un..." As both hit the ground, the blond's body catching the blow, the man rolled, hitting the dirt and getting back up. Without a pause, he flung himself back into the treetops, to await Deidara's next move.

Finding himself in a large, sheltered area, he paused, taking a breath to regain his bearings and turn back around. _You're going to die, shinobi. I'm going to kill you, right here and now..._A kunai flashed from his weapons pouch, and he crouched low, ready to fly off and catch Deidara unaware.

"Katsu!" The sound echoed about the forest, and for a moment, the man stood undecided, as if trying to figure out the meaning of that. However, the feeling of something on the back of his head caught his attention first. Surprised, the man grabbed at the object, ripping it off his back and bringing it in front of him. At first, he couldn't understand how a spider that big had found its way onto his coat.

The next thing he didn't understand was how a spider that big...could get bigger.

The last thing he didn't understand was the smoke and light emanating from the spider's body.

Then...he didn't need to understand anything else. One doesn't have to understand why one is exploding. One just has to know that one's dead.

Taking a flying leap, Deidara again ascended into the treetops, kunai out. A sound from behind caught his attention, and he flipped in mid-air, turning about and catching the Red Hand's kunai on his own. Even as the two fell, they remained locked together, kunai entwined as each attempted to win out over the other.

"You're going to die!"

"I wouldn't count on it, un..."

--

Shizune was beginning to lose hope that Deidara would come to the rescue. There were only nine guards, including Yodae, left now. The rest had fallen prey to the jutsu. Blood pooled upon the ground, as if the skies themselves had poured liquid red down for hours at a time. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps. The deaths of each man had unnerved her. She didn't know if she could take another.

Another man screamed, his arm wrenched from its socket. He turned, catching his shoulder on the whipping water and watching horridly as it was ripped away. His beating heart was exposed, along with a lung and a multitude of veins. His eyes rolled into his head, and he fell backwards, his head bouncing slightly as it was pulled from his neck and tossed casually on the watery oblivion.

"Shizune-hime...for...forgive us. We...we have...have failed you..." Yodae took a backstep, sheltering in the lee of the wagon, which was beginning to fly apart with the force of the air being whipped around. Shizune merely nodded.

It wasn't how she wanted to die. In fact, it wasn't how she had wanted to live. Had she been more rigid in her ideals, she would never have allowed herself to leave the sanctity of her mansion. She would be home, brushing her hair, loving the fact that she was trapped forever in a place of her fathers wishing. She would do chores...she would feed the horses...she would be the good daughter her father had always wanted.

_No, _she told herself. _No, I wouldn't. That's not what I wish for. That's...that's not what I would want. If I die, than I die with honor. I won't die like this._ Opening her eyes, she took in her surroundings. The blood...the mangled bodies, the horror around her. She took in everything. If she were to die, she wouldn't die like a scared little brat that still believed in happy ever afters.

Then, the water crushed into the wagon's top most corner. Without much of an effort, it ripped apart the fragile wood, smashing it like tinder. However, as it did so, a part of the jutsu was disrupted, leaving an open space through which to see the blue sky and bright sun. The tall trees and the green leaves. The boughs and twigs...and...

Her eyes opened. There, on the top bough, stood the enemy shinobi, his hands still playing the flute as the water danced. For a brief second, his eyes shot open, and he gazed into the watery hell. A smile slowly formed on his face, and he played faster. The water whipped around, destroying the wagon further and cutting off her vision of him.

However, the reality sank in, and her eyes opened in understanding. Turning to Yodae, who was silently saying a prayer to Kami, she yanked on his arm. "Yodae-san. Yodae-san!"

"Hm? Shizune-hime?"

"I need to make a break in the water."

"A...break? It is impossible, Shizune-hime. The only time a break is made is when someone dies. No one could possibly make it through the water without dying. The break is too fast in the coming. You'd...you'd be smashed."

"I don't want to get through the break, Yodae-san. I...have a plan!"

--

_Cling! Clank! Cling clank clonk!_Ruthlessly, the two exchanged blows, kunai bouncing off as they attempted to find a way past the other's guard.

"Give it up, shinobi! You're through!"

"N...Never, un!" Breaking off, they each hopped back, to come back together again in a spark of clashing iron and steel. Their movements were too fast to be seen by the myriad animals that had come out to inspect the fight. Dropping low, Deidara shot out with a right foot, aimed at his opponents mid-section. However, the Red Hand caught it, twisting his already maimed leg and causing Deidara to inadvertently scream out.

Flipping the blond over, he planted him into the ground, hands already coming up in a hand-seal. "Katon: Moeagarimasunageru no Jutsu!" The man's left hand came to his mouth, concentrating his chakra between his thumb and index fingers. Blowing out, flame erupted from the area, engulfing trees, bushes, and grass as the Red Hand outlaw sought to catch his charge off-guard.

As the flames settled, the embers licking at the edges of flammable material, the man took stock of the situation. Deidara wasn't to be seen, most likely roasted to a turn and burned into ash and cinder. "Hn. Good riddance." However, his cocky attitude quickly diminished when a hand shot up from the ground, grabbing his leg and pulling him down into the dirt. As suddenly as it had happened, a pair of legs stood in front him, and a blond set of locks looked down, a smile behind them. Deidara grunted, leaning down as he chuckled.

"You Red Hand people are all alike, you know that? Thankfully, I know quite a few people who have fire techniques. That one was highly ineffectual. So...I hope you've learned your lesson." Standing back up, Deidara turned, hearing the man's oaths and screams behind him.

"Damn you, shinobi! I will be back! Mark my words! You haven't seen the last of me!" Then, his cries stopped suddenly, to be replaced by an anguished howl. "What? What the...what the hell is this?"

His grin never left as Deidara continued on his way out of the forest, limping as best as possible with his torn up ankle. Under his breath, he began again his conversation. "That's...your going away present."

The Red Hand shinobi never heard him. All that took up his mind was the large snake that was slowly wrapping itself around his head, its long, gray tongue flickering back and forth as his cries of anguish were cut short by scaly, gritty feeling skin.

Deidara's right hand came up, and he shook his head as he concentrated. "Should have learned early on. Never mess with a shinobi's escort..."

Now, the man's head couldn't be seen, engulfed entirely within the coils of the reptile. It hissed languidly, resting its head on its own body and closing its gray orbs.

"Katsu..."

--

Shizune looked about frantically as yet another man fell victim to the technique. The remaining five guards and their captain gave her a reproachful glance, the area on which they could stand having grown distinctly smaller within a short period of time. Shizune nodded at them, positioning herself at the end of the long timber that the six guards held, Yodae having taken the lead position himself.

"Alright, everyone. When I give the signal, jam that piece of wood directly into the vortex!" The men gulped, nodding as their heads swiveled back to the water. "Alright...ready...get set...not yet..." Two of them closed their eyes...and no one noticed the small puddle of yellow liquid that had collected on the ground underneath one of them. "Now!" With a grunt and a heave, they threw their weight into the wood, slamming it home onto the swirling mass of water.

From Shizune's position, the water formed an eddy behind it, opening up slightly. Her mental map came into her vision, and she scanned the treetops for the shinobi once more.

There he was, sitting just as he had been, his flute still playing. In front of her, Yodae gave a sharp cry. The men themselves were beginning to falter. The wood was threatening to loosen, and break apart altogether. She had only a few moments left...

In the treetops, the man continued to play his flute. He was always reminded of the reasons he had joined the Red Hand to begin with. His family had been massacred in the great Shinobi War of previous years, and during his time of greatest need, his country had abandoned him, like so many others. When he had pleaded with the Water Lord to give them help, to give something back to the shinobi world that had fought so hard to protect his lands, he had cast them aside like rats, to be eaten by a world that cared nought for them. In their greatest moment of need, their own country had abandoned them, and so, he had abandoned his country.

The Red Hand believed in one country. Each shinobi nation, united under a common leader. No more would the shinobi of the world be the dogs of the country that they resided in. No. They would be the leaders. They would be the aristocrats and the higher ups. They would be the ones to call the shots. Each Lord and his manor would be thrust out of society, to feel exactly how he himself had felt during that time.

That was why he played his flute. It gave him solace. He could unleash his feelings into his music. The water itself was his rage, anger, and frustrations, taking out his vengeance on those that had shunned him.

He was Red Hand. He was a liberator! A freedom fighter! The messenger of peace!

And, even as his tune stopped...

Even as he staggered slightly, wondering where the three senbon that had buried into his throat had come...

Even as he fell from his perch in the tree, crashing through the underbrush...

Even as he hit the ground, jarring his body, cracking his ribs, and fracturing his skull...

Even as the blackness surrounded him...

Even as the blood pooled on the rocks below him, he never gave up that single thought...

I am Red Hand. I...am a liberator!

He thought this, even as he himself was liberated from the life that had been so cruel to him, and was so mercilessly taken from him.

As the waters receded, Shizune smiled, turning to the nearest guard and hugging him bodily. The man returned it, even allowing the girl to plant a small kiss on his cheek. The board dropped, the water's force low enough that it hardly moved from its position.

Shizune clapped her hands, smiling at everyone. "Good work, all of you! You did me proud!"

"Hai, Shizune-hime!" They all cheered, patting one another on the backs and congratulating those that had come out alive. Yodae grimaced slightly, nodding at his men and even giving a slight cheer himself. Blood dripped from what remained of his left arm, a good portion of it ripped apart by the water as he held up the board.

"Hai...we...we did it!" Concerned, Shizune ran to him, the water falling around her with a pitter-patter on the stones as she helped the man to the ground.

"L...Lay down, Yodae-san. Please. I'll...I'll try..." He smiled as his back was soaked through by the moisture on the ground. Laying back, he closed his eyes, gulping as a surge of fresh pain roared through him.

"Shi...Shizune-hime. I...I...I don't think...you...can help...here..." A hand placed itself on his lips, and he looked up in mild surprise. A smile graced the girls features as she placed both hands on the man's torn up appendage.

"Nonsense...I...can try..." Closing her eyes in concentration, the girl took a breath. Slowly, a bluish-green light pulsated from her hands, and in fascination, the man watched as the skin began to knit slowly back together. The blood stopped flowing as if by magic, the skin folding in upon itself.

She was panting now, her eyes shut tight against the outside world as the men that had survived watched her. The rest of Yodae's arm sewn together, the light ebbed, than stopped. With a sigh, she sat back, her legs splayed out in front of her and her arms shaking with exertion.

Yodae gave her a questioning glance, taking a moment to examine his torn up digit and move it spontaneously. "But...but how..."

"My teacher...was a shinobi...at one point. A medical shinobi. He...he taught me...many things..." Closing her eyes, the girl swayed slightly, trying to find her balance once more. The healing technique shown to her caused her more than a little discomfort, and sucked most of the energy she had. It was amazing that she had even been able to perform that little move.

"Oy! Are you guys alright, un?" Deidara, extricating himself from a bush, walked over, brushing down his coat. Shizune nodded, noticing the blood trailing from his foot.

"Hai, Deidara-kun. Are you?"

"Oh, this?" Holding up his foot, he examined it. His footpad was barely on, the bone sliced through and the tendons and cartilage ripped. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. It'll heal in time, un. Right now, I'm just glad that you guys came out...all...right..." As if noticing for the first time, Deidara took a glance down at the ground, noticing the broken bodies and pools of blood. "Oy. This...this is..."

"My men died valiantly, Deidara-kun! Rest assured, they will always be remembered to this day!" Yodae proudly stood, his left arm dangling slightly. Deidara grimaced at the appendage, but smiled just as quickly.

"Hai. Remembered, un. Always. Good men...should always be remembered..." _Yoko..._Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts that haunted him, Deidara continued to assess their situation. They had only five able bodied men now. Six if you gave Yodae a one-armed adversary. He himself could take on another shinobi attacker...but, only just. "Glad to see that you took out two yourselves. Wonderfully done. Especially without shinobi training, un."

Shizune blinked at him from her crouching position. "But...Deidara-kun. We...only killed one..."

Deidara's eyes went wide. He had miscounted. There were four shinobi. He had killed two. He had thought that they had killed the other two, since no one was attacking at the moment. But...how...

"You killed only one? Than...where did..." Deidara started, until his words were cut short. Stumbling forward a little, he glanced down at the kunai that was poking from his chest. Coughing, as if he could feel something in his throat, he sank to a knee, his eyelids blinking involuntarily as though he were attempting to understand the situation further.

"Deidara-kun!" Shizune lunged forward, knocking the man backwards as two more kunai zipped in.

"Damn shinobi scum! You'll pay for this!" The last enemy shinobi stood in a slight clearing, readying two more kunai to finish the job.

Shizune didn't even think about her next move. Rolling off of Deidara and onto her stomach, her right hand shot out, exposing her wrist, and a dangerous looking weapon holster. Her left hand flew to her right, and her left eye closed. Before the shinobi could react further, a hail of senbon flew through the air, catching him in the shoulder. One flew off course, piercing his throat. Gurgling, his hand flew to the offending weapon, attempting to remove it.

That was before the spear ripped apart his sternum, passing through heart and lung and ending up, quivering, in the tree behind him. He gasped, his eyes wide as he twitched on the pole, skewered to the spot. Slowly, his hand fell, and his head lolled to the side, his body propped up by the spear that had passed through him.

"I...had to get...one of those...bastards..." Yodae said, a grim a smile on his face as his right arm relaxed from the throw. However, Shizune wasn't paying attention to any of that. Bending over, she slapped Deidara's face.

"Deidara-kun! Deidara-kun! Stay...stay with me...Deidara-kun! Please...please..." Her tears began to fall, spilling onto his face and eyes. Slowly, his right eye opened, focusing on her pupil. He smiled, a small streak of blood already spilling from his half-open mouth.

"Shi...Shi...Shizune...hime..."

"Don't go, Deidara-kun...don't go..." Feebly, she attempted to lift his body, to extract the kunai from his back. "Help me! Don't just stand there! Help...help me!" The men around her nodded, still dumbstruck for the moment. Two bent down to help roll Deidara's body over, so that she could take the weapon from its lodgings. Grimacing, she took hold of the kunai, counting to three. The first attempt was marred by the blood spilling from the wound. However, she took a tighter grip, wrenching out the weapon and evoking a sharp cry of pain from Deidara's lips.

"Dei-kun...Dei-kun...please...don't die...don't...don't die..."

Deidara could barely hear her now. His vision was impaired, he could hardly see. Her blurry outline was pleading with him, that he knew. However, her voice just wasn't being picked up by his offending ears.

_Is...is this what it is like...to die? Damn...I...I wanted...to...to go out...with...a bang..._His eyes, glazing over, shut. He allowed himself one last smile before his head lolled to the side, his breath gone.

In a panic, Shizune gasped. Not taking time for formalities, she ripped apart his shirt, seeing the small hole that the kunai had made on the outgoing side. Placing her head on his chest, she could hear the feeble attempts of his heart trying to pump. "He's going into cardiac arrest!" Tilting his head back, she blew air down his windpipe, waiting for a moment as the air circulated about in his chest. Then, she blew another breath. Putting her hands over his heart, she began to pump as hard as possible, counting down the ticks in her mind.

"Deidara-kun! Don't...don't go! Don't...don't you go!" Relinquishing her hold, she blew another soft breath down his throat, taking time to catch her own breath before trying again.

His heart didn't seem to respond. If she couldn't help him soon...it would be too late!

--

"_What...where...where am I?" He couldn't really move. His muscles responded, but it wasn't to him. Instead, Deidara found himself...floating. It wasn't a harsh feeling. More of a subtle, marshmallow effect, as if he had been drinking too much and had left his senses. Glancing about, he blinked to rid himself of the feeling, but instead of that, he felt more of the same. His vision was blurred, and it didn't help to try and think. It only fuzzed his brain. _

_The clouds and sky were magnificent. If he had to guess, they were the only things that he could see clearly. Soft, billowy white ivory clouds, caressing his arms, his legs, his head. He smiled, nodding knowingly to himself. "So. This is death, un. Nice."_

_"No, Deidara-kun. This is not death. This is the place between worlds." The voice snapped him to attention, and he glanced apprehensively at the face appearing in the haze. A kind face, a gentle demeanor. Much the same as..._

"_Mo...mother?" _

"_Ohayoo, Deidara-kun. It's been much too long." The woman stepped from the clouds, her skin shining brightly with the sun effect of light. Smiling at him, she held out her hand, taking his own and pulling him down from his position above her. Gently, he felt his feet leave the open air and grace the ground, or what could presumably be called the ground. It was all very disturbing._

_"Mother. Is that really you?"_

"_Hai, Deidara-kun. It is I. How I have missed you." Her arms enveloped him in an embrace, and he stood like that, undecided about what to do._

"_Oh...mother. I...I can't...can't..."_

_"Shh...hush now, Deidara-kun. It is alright. You're safe here. So safe..." They stayed like that, for almost a millenium, it felt to Deidara. He couldn't imagine being happier. Slowly, his arms wrapped themselves about her mild frame, hugging her closely to his own body. The tears began to pour unchecked as he cried. He couldn't stop himself. He had no control._

_"Mo...mother..."_

_"Hush now. Hush..." He couldn't breath. Something was wrong. "You need not breath here. You will find that simple things like breathing, like your heart beating, are all inconsequential here. You are safe. Truly safe." She hugged him tighter, and he melted into her. "There are no enemies, here. There is no war, no strife, no anger. There is no pain, or suffering. This...is paradise."_

_Truly, it must be. If his mother's words were true, than the place he now resided must have been paradise. He couldn't see it any other way._

"_It is paradise, mother. I'm...I'm so glad I found you. After...after being alone so long. After all that I've been through...I'm finally here...finally...with you..."_

"_Yes, Deidara-kun. Yes. Finally you are here. With me." She cooed softly to him, her hands stroking his hair and back. It felt wonderful, her touching him as she had when he was a little boy, when the tears were flowing and the pain welled within him. She knew how to soften the blow of life, to ebb the hatred that had been against him. _

_"I missed you. I missed you so much, mother." _

_"I know, Deidara-kun. I've been watching you. You have turned into such a fine young man. Such a good boy. Such...a good...boy..." She sniffed, kneeling. "Deidara-kun, listen to me. You cannot stay in this place. This place is not for you."_

"_But...but...I..."_

"_No, Deidara-kun. This is not the place that you need be in. Not yet. Soon, perhaps. But not now. There are things you must do yet. Things...things that you haven't done and have left undone still." He sniffed back a sob, trying to understand._

"_Mo...mother...I...want to stay_."

"_Deidara-kun?" Another voice cut through the silence, and he turned to address the newcomer._

_"Yo...Yoko-chan?"_

"_Ohayoo, Deidara-kun! What...what are you doing here?" The girl blinked at him, walking up to take his hand. "Oh...you're cold, Deidara-kun. Did you...die?"_

_"No, Yoko-chan. Deidara-kun hasn't died yet. This is merely a transition." His mother took his hand again, clasping it and turning him about. "Deidara-kun, go back to the world you know. Go back to life. You have more to do."_

"_But. I...I don't want to."_

"_It matters not what you want to do. Your life is a plan, and that plan has not been fulfilled as of yet. You have more to do."_

_"Deidara-kun. Listen...listen to Amaya-baa-chan. Go back." Yoko smiled up at him, grabbing his hand and bringing him down to her level. "Oh, and give Bushio-kun my love, will you?" She brought him close, giving him a peck on the cheek. "For Bushio-kun...and you. Thank you for your friendship."_

"_But. But I let you down, Yoko-chan. How can you be so kind to me?"  
_

"_You didn't let me down, Deidara-kun. I let myself down. But, I was stronger than I thought I was! Here I am, ne?" Still smiling, she gave him a half-hearted push. "Now, get back down there. I don't want to see one of my teammates for at least another hundred years, you got it?" _

_Deidara smiled, chuckling slightly as he was enveloped in another hug. "Go now, Deidara-kun. Go back to those that love you and cherish you. You have much to do, and little time to do it in."_

"_Mother. When...when will I see you again?" For a time, she didn't answer, as if contemplating the result of her decision. Then, she held him back aways, smiling._

_"In time. You will see me again...in time. But for now, you have much to do. So much...my little man...so much to do..." She took a step back, and he gasped, attempting to take a step forward._

_"Mother!"_

"_Goodbye, Deidara-kun! Goodbye. I will always love you!"_

_"Mother!!"_

_"Bye, Dei! Have fun! Tell Bushio-kun I love him, alright?"_

"_Mother! Yoko-chan!"_

"_Goodbye...Deidara...kun..."_

_--_

"Deidara-kun! Breath! Breath, damn it!" Deidara felt two hands thrust into his chest, and he coughed, his eyes shooting open as he sat up, ejecting phlegm and bile from his lungs. Horrified, his hand thrust to his chest, feeling where the wound was. But...it wasn't there.

"What...what happened? Who? Where...how?" He glanced up at an apprehensive Yodae, who knelt beside him.

"Deidara-kun. Glad to see you are still part of the living. Good to see you again, boy." Shaking his head, the man stood, reaching down and picking the blond up and onto his feet. Deidara gained his equilibrium, staggering slightly as his head rocked.

"Oh...my head, un."

"Ah. Yeah, sorry about that. Couldn't move you. Seems your head is as hard as an ox's ass, though. Hahaha!" The man gave his shoulder a slap, one that made him cringe. Apologetically, Yodae backed off, raising his hands. "Oh! Sorry 'bout that. Shizune-hime said that if you did manage to wake up, you'd be in pain."

"Shizune...hime said? Wait...where is..." Deidara began, questioning the guard. Yodae simply nodded to where two of his guards were standing watch over a prone form, lying on a small bullock of grass. At the questioning glance he got, Yodae nodded.

"Seems our young Shizune-hime knows more than meets the eye. She fixed up that hole in your chest, and half-way fixed your foot! Brought you back to life to, it seems. Fancy that." Taking a look at the carnage that was still strewn about on the road, Yodae sighed. "Lost good men here. Really good men. But, at least I won't have to count one more in the list of casualties." Taking the blonds hand, Yodae led him to a fire. "Come now, Deidara-kun. You look like you've seen a ghost. Let's get you some food, see if we can't put that twinkle in your eye again, hm?"

At the present moment, Deidara didn't really feel like eating. But, it was a reasonable suggestion. Shrugging, the man let himself be led over to a fire, where the remaining guards were sitting huddled about, licking their own injuries. "Hai, I'll do that, un. Thank you, Yodae."

"Don't be thanking me just yet, Deidara-kun. The girl said that you may not be able to stomach food for a while. Something about the hazard of chakra depletion and chakra absorption or something." That was news to Deidara, who blinked, looking back at where Shizune lay.

"Wait. So...Shizune-hime knows how to use chakra?"

The Captain grunted. "Apparently. Honestly, I don't know how she does it. Took out the guy in the tree, and took out the guy that hit you with that kunai. She's a regular shinobi already. Don't know how her father never figured that out."

Deidara could only shrug. "I'm a shinobi as well..." Leaving the statement hanging, he sat down, allowing the fire to heat his bones and mend his spirit.

_I don't know why I never figured that out either._

_--_

Next Chapter: They are almost there. Shizune feels more than apprehensive about meeting her future husband for the first time, and Deidara feels more than nervous about what has transpired between them in the past couple days. The two have a heart to heart talk, and perhaps...something else? But, who is it that watches over them? Someone with evil intentions see's all, and is up to no good! Next time, on Deidara's Story. Moonlight Reconnaissance!

A/N: Wow, I'm kind of ashamed that I didn't post the next chapter sooner. I let yall hang for too long. Therefore, this chapter is over 9k words, just for you all! Mostly to say I'm sorry. Haha! So...yeah.

Jutsu's used:

Doton: Tsuchiwana Tojikomemasu no Jutsu – Earth Release: Earthen Trap of Sealing Technique

Suiton: Odorimasu Senritsu Riguretto no Jutsu – Water Release: Dancing Melody of Regret Technique

Katon: Moeagarimasunageru no Jutsu – Fire Release: Flamethrower Technique


	9. Chapter 8: Moonlight Reconnaissance

**

* * *

**

Deidara's Story

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Chapter 7: Moonlight Reconnaissance**

* * *

Another sigh escaped his lips as the small column tramped endlessly though the heat of the day. Deidara stifled a yawn as he glanced wearily up into the sun. The heat was beginning to toll on his nerves. His leg injury hurt even worse, and if he had had the mind, he would have sat the remaining five men, Yodae, Shizune and himself on one large, clay bird and soared them to their destination faster. Trouble was, three of the men were afraid of heights. Also, he didn't really want to get there too fast. He was enjoying the company of the female presently at his side, relating some of her past shinobi medical training to him.

He smiled as she described a broken bone and the way to mend it. "It's simple, really," she explained, her mouth in a purse that Deidara found extremely attractive. "If the bone is broken in only one place, you can simply add chakra to both sides, melt the living bone tissue slightly, place them together, and reattach them with chakra. If a bone is broken in many places, than the healing process is slightly more complex. First, you'd have to sedate the patient. It hurts a lot. Then, you..."

She continued, going through a fine array of medical lingo that Deidara could hardly keep up with. He groaned slightly to himself as he felt his cartilage pop in his foot. A brilliant surgeon and doctor Shizune-chan may have been, but the creator of a jutsu to instantly fix broken bone and cartilage she wasn't.

She must have heard his sharp intake of breath, for she glanced at him worriedly. "Oh...Deidara-kun. Is your foot bothering you?"

The man groaned inwardly. _Great, so she has a good perception of reality to. Wonderful. _Out loud, he smiled. "Oh. Um...n...not really, Shizune-chan, un. I'll be fine...errg..." Not watching where his foot was falling, he managed to step onto a particularly fine-shaped rock, which caught his ankle just right as to jab inwardly at it. A string of curses issued from his mouth as he hopped about in pain.

Firmly, Shizune sat him down, not listening to his irate speech as she began to administer chakra into the limb. Intrigued, Yodae and the other men gathered about, watching the bluish-green light issuing from her hand.

Gradually, the pain began to subside, as Shizune's chakra dispelled the welling blood and initial swelling. Deidara calmed slightly, making a show of wincing as he carefully stretched his foot, rotating it on its axis and feeling the joint pop into place once more. Sighing his relief, he smiled up at the girl as beads of sweat coursed down her face. "Wow. Thanks, Shizune-hime. That feels much better, un."

The girl took another shallow breath, nodding as she stood. "You are welcome, Deidara-kun. Now, we can go on with our journey. Just, please watch out for rocks. I can't do that more than a few times before I'm too tired to go on."

Deidara laughed lightly, standing on his feet and brushing himself off. "Don't worry, Shizune-chan. If that happens, I'd just carry you, un." Shizune laughed lightly herself.

Around them, the guards exchanged wary glances. Even Yodae's eyebrow rose as he watched the two. Out of the corner of his mouth, one guard whispered to another.

"Oy. Check these two out. You would think that Shizune-hime is being married to this shinobi."

"I know. It almost looks like they're a couple, huh?"

"Yeah. If Lord Setama-sama hears about this..."

"He won't. None of us will tell him. Just keep your big mouth shut! Remember, if he finds out, then we are all as good as dead."

"Oh. Right. Got it."

* * *

The rest of the day went by without consequence. The sun rose into the sky, and set behind the mountain's in the west. The moon rose, casting an eerie glow across the landscape. Deidara sighed with relief as the column halted, leaving the main road for the shelter of the trees.

Setting up his tent, Deidara took a whiff of the air, sighing thoughtfully as the fresh scent of grass and woodlands filtered up into his senses. He had quite forgotten the smell of fresh wilderness, trying to be so fast at everything. Missions were completed fast, his money was made, and other missions were assigned. He had had no time to just...stop and smell the roses, or figuratively speaking, at any rate.

His tent finally erected, he stooped, grabbing another shirt to replace his old one, wringing with sweat. Of course, it was at this time that he realized that he didn't have another shirt. The only other shirt that he had brought was in tatters from their amazing array of battles on the road. The shirt he wore now was the only thing that was usable. Cursing his cursed luck, Deidara turned to Yodae, who had just finished erecting his own tent. "Oy, Yodae-san! Do you happen to have another shirt, un?"

The guard glanced in his direction, shrugging slightly. "No, I'm sorry, Deidara-san. However, there is a lake close-by, over that way," he said, pointing through the woods. "You may be able to wash it and hang it up to dry, at the very least."

Deidara nodded, taking his shirt off and beginning to traipse in the direction indicated. "Alright. See you in a bit, un. I may as well take a bath while I'm at it."

* * *

It didn't take long for the shinobi to reach the shores of the lake. It was tranquil, the moon's reflection bouncing off of still waters. A swan sat on the bank, head covered by a wing, the only patch of white in the dark setting of the night. Walking to the water's edge, Deidara tested the temperature of the lake before smiling. Taking a brief moment to undress, he laid his clothes on the bank, stepping into the water little by little to accustom himself to the change. Then, he sank down, feeling the mud squelch under his feet and wriggling in self-proclaimed happiness.

Dunking his head under, he came out, spitting liquid as he ventured further into the reeds. Snorting at a particularly large patch, he put his hands through, pulling them apart to get into the deepest end of the lake. That's when he realized that he hadn't been the only one to think about a bath.

A silken silhouette erupted from the tranquil water, hair flowing backwards as water sprayed in all directions. Surprised, Deidara shot back into the reeds, stopping when he was sure he couldn't be seen, but still watch. Taking advantage of his position, he watched as the figure swam about, playfully splashing around for a few minutes before heading back to the shore. Stepping out of the water with all the grace of a cat, the figure stood, dripping in the moonlight.

It was then that Deidara decided to make his presence known. If the figure was an enemy, than he could catch it by surprise, and take them down before they had a chance to fight back. "Hey! You know, when someone goes swimming, it's best to introduce yourself, un!"

The figure stopped, turning in his direction. Slowly, a voice, shaking with anger and playful mirth, sounded out. "D...Dei-deidara-kun!?"

Deidara's smile soon faded. It wasn't an enemy. It was..."Shizune-hime!? What are you doing here? You should be escorted everywhere! What were you thinking, un?"

A grunt of exasperation met his ears as the figure bent down, retrieving a towel and wrapping it about its lithe frame. "Um. I was taking a bath. Why would I _want _an escort!? What are you doing here? Spying on me? You pervert!"

Now it was Deidara's turn to get angry. "P-p-pervert!? I was taking a bath! You were the one spying on me, un!"

"It's not me in the reeds, idiot! You're the one hiding!"

"You're the one not telling anyone where you're going!"

"Pervert!"

"Ass!"

"Bastard!"

"Stupid girl, un!"

The bickering stopped, and for a moment, both fumed from there positions. Then, almost at the same time, they both erupted into laughter. Stepping into the shallows, Deidara smiled up as Shizune came into clearer view. "I'm sorry, Shizune-hime. If I had known you were taking a bath, I would have waited, un."

"It is quite alright, Deidara-kun. Please, no need to apologize." The girl smiled, her teeth white in the moonlight. Offering a hand to the blond, who eagerly took it, she stepped back, bringing him with her. It was then that Deidara noticed that she had been swimming with her undergarments on, a bra and panties covering her more delicate features.

It was also at this time that Shizune realized that Deidara had been swimming...without anything on. Turning her head to view the opposite way, she quickly held her nose. Immediately alarmed, Deidara took a step forward.

"Shizune-hime...are you going to sneeze?" he asked, genuinely concerned. Stifling the beginning's of her nose-bleed, Shizune nodded slightly.

"Oh...h-hai, Deidara-kun. Sneeze. Sure." It didn't take long for the momentary indiscretion to clear up. Without turning her head, she pointed to the shoreline just opposite where they stood. "Deidara-kun, please put on your clothes. A patient with a broken foot shouldn't run around naked."

"But, why..."

"Just do it! I'm the medical personnel, and I said do it!" He didn't have to know that it was a blatant lie, but it was all she could do to keep herself from turning and pinning the man to the ground. She didn't need him naked to boot.

Sighing in submission, Deidara did as bid, turning around and walking the short way to where his clothes lay on the bank. Putting his pants on, he turned half-way around, remarking, "do you mind if I don't wear a shirt? Mine is filthy, and needs to be washed, un."

"That's fine. That's perfectly reasonable," Shizune said, turning to look at him. Even in the moonlight, she could see his perfect upper-body, his abdominal muscles flexing slightly as he knelt down, giving his shirt a wash in the water before scrubbing it with clay. Clay was a wonderful thing. It could blow up a building, or it could scrub a shirt clean. Made up of gritty particles, clay did the trick. Just wash the garment to get rid of the grit, and it was cleaner than if you used soap.

Shizune gulped visibly as Deidara stood, turning back to the woods to hang his shirt on a tree limb. Admiring his work, he said, "so, Shizune-hime. How is it that a know-nothing girl like yourself knows medical ninjutsu, un? Surely your father knew nothing of this."

Shizune blinked at him, giving a small sigh before sitting and staring across the lake expanse, the water glistening with her eyes. "I was young. Only ten. I became severely ill, so sick I couldn't move. At one point, I couldn't talk. I almost died. My father, being the kind hearted person he really is, brought in all the doctors and medical technicians he could find. No one could heal me. Then, one day, a wandering shinobi came through the village. She was the most magnificent, most wonderful person in the world! She came from the village of Konohagakure. Her name was Tsunade, the Slug Sannin."

Deidara's eyebrows rose slightly. "You mean _the _Slug Sannin? Not just an imitation, un?"

Shizune smiled, shaking her head. "No, the real thing. Blond, beautiful, smart...at least, what I could remember. I was still deathly ill at this point. That's when she came to our mansion. Apparently, she had debts all over our village. Besides being the world's greatest medical shinobi, she was also the world's worst gambler as well."

Deidara chuckled. "Hai, I've heard about her."

"Well, she came to the manor, and her and my father came to a deal. If she could heal me, than her debts within the village would be wiped clean. All of them! Hundreds and thousands of yen's worth. It was a deal that she couldn't pass up. So, she came up to my room."

"From what I remember of it, Deidara-kun, she told everyone to leave the room. They did as they were told, and she shut the door. Then, she came over to my bed, sitting in a chair and watching me. I was horribly sick, I had a fever that felt as though the sun were burning into my skin, and my body wouldn't stop shaking. I gazed up at her, and I could barely see above her...well..." The girl stopped, glancing down at her own chest.

Deidara almost chuckled, but caught himself. "Her chest." Shizune gasped lightly, glancing over at him. "I've heard about more than just her healing and gambling skills, Shizune-hime. Please, continue, un."

She smiled, nodding as she began again with her dialog. "I was gazing up into her eyes, which...which looked like they had seen much anger and frustration. A lot of pain. She bent her head down, and said to me, 'if you want to live, you will live. I cannot live for you.' Then, she gave me a kiss on my forehead. It was as though a cooling breath of air came over me. I lay there, completely stunned, and she got up from her chair. She put both hands on my chest, and closed her eyes in concentration. Then, I blacked out."

"When I woke up in the morning, she was gone...and I could move! I didn't feel sick at all! In fact, I could do almost everything that I did before. It was as though I had never been sick!" She began to get more excited. More agitated. It was something that Deidara had never seen before. Something of a change in her. "I went downstairs and told my father. He said that the Tsunade person had healed me. I had been given a drug by the chef, but it turned out that I was allergic to it. Apparently, it was a ploy to get me to fall asleep so that I could be kidnapped and ransomed. The chef was found out, and he and his gang were punished." Suddenly, her narrative stopped, and she turned a hardened gaze on Deidara. "Deidara-kun, I am not a bad person. I am not evil, or spiteful."

Deidara blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn. "I...I know that, Shizune-hime."

"But...but I was there when the chef was executed. He and his whole gang! They were all executed by my father's guards. Every one of them! I was there!" She turned her gaze back to the lake, watching small waves lap the shoreline. "You know what, Deidara-kun? I enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching those men die by the spears that were bought with the money they had wanted. I knew that I shouldn't. I knew that it was wrong. But...I smiled when the chef's heart was pierced. The pain that I had felt for those three days. The...the agonizing pain. I felt justified! I felt...I felt so relieved!" A tear crept down her face, falling onto her open palm as she gazed at it.

Deidara's heart twanged slightly. _This poor girl has endured quite a bit. Almost as much as me,_ he thought to himself. Slowly, he placed a hand on Shizune's shoulder, giving her a reassuring tap. "It's...it's alright, Shizune-hime. It's alright. Please don't cry, un."

If she heard his plea, she didn't comply. Instead, she turned, immediately wrapping him in a hug as tears poured unchecked down her face, dripping onto his chest and soaking the ground. "Oh...oh Deidara-kun. I don't want to get married. I...I don't want to be someone's wife! I don't even know what he looks like! Deidara...Deidara-kun..." She cried pitifully, her wracking sobs tearing through her body.

Deidara winced, not understanding what he should do. Should he comfort her? Surely not. That would be a sign of his compassion for her, and he couldn't show that. He was a shinobi, and shinobi never showed compassion, love, hatred, admiration. No emotion at all. Should he console her? No, that was the same as comforting her. Should he yell at her?

He thought about it, but he could never bring himself to yell at such a delicate flower. If she was this upset, who knew what yelling would do. He could slap her, but then again, he could never harm her. She was precious to him. Nothing would hurt her ever again. Wrapping his arms about her, he sighed. "Shizune-hime..."

Neither of them would ever recall what happened next. One moment, they were hugging each other, finding solace in each other and their separate struggles. The next, Deidara was fervently pushing his tongue into her throat, feeling her accept and mirror his sentiments with her own. Her hands were exploring his chest, feeling his muscles, wrapping themselves about his body. His own hands were busy at her chest, feeling her through her thin layer of clothes, exploring every aspect of her female being. Quite suddenly, they split, watching each other for a sign of movement. Their eyes wandered up and down, taking in the other.

"Deidara-kun..." Shizune began, wringing her hands in front of her.

Immediately, Deidara was on the defensive. Had he done something wrong? He had only been with one other woman. Yanoi, back in Iwagakure. He thought that he knew something of a female. Was he in the wrong? Did he make the first move? Maybe she didn't want him? "Y...yes, Shizune-hime?"

The girl was quiet for a moment, staring down at her hands. Then, "Deidara-kun." She took a breath, and then glanced up at him. "I...I..."

Deidara blinked, moving his hand to hers. "Yes, Shizune-hime?"

Shizune glanced down at the hand, and then back at him. "You know that I want what is best for my land. For my village. For...for my father?"

Deidara nodded. "Hai."

Shizune took another breath. "But, I also want what is best for me. I should be the first to get my own respect. I should take control of my life, instead of someone else."

Deidara nodded again. "Hai, Shizune-hime. That is something that you should have for your own, un."

It was then that something happened that he had never expected. Shizune moved with all the cat-like grace of a feline. Immediately, her weight was pressing him down, and from the ground, he looked up at her, her silhouette was outlined by the moon. "I want you, Deidara-kun. I want you more than I want to live. I want you to take me, right here, right now. I want to know a man's love, his touch, the feel of his body over mine. Will you...will you do this for me...Deidara-kun?"

The crickets chirped in the background, augmenting the silence that flowed through the scene. Shizune's tears began to reappear, shining within her eyes. "Please, Deid..."

His lips met hers, cutting off further speech as she started in surprise. His hands were suddenly at her stomach, pulling her shirt off roughly and tossing it to the ground. She returned the kiss, feeling his hands beginning to pull at her bra straps. Shrugging out of the garment, she rolled to the side, bringing him on top of her. Slowly, she moved her head to his ear as he reached for her pants. "Please, Deidara-kun. I...I need this. Please..."

He nodded, basically ripping her pants off. Both were panting, and only the moon and a small assortment of animals were witnesses to the goings-ons.

Of course, all was seen by the stranger standing on a small cliff edge. Watching the scene, the wind whipped about, catching the hem of the figures cloak and swirling it about. The cloaked figure stood for a moment, watching the two young lovers bonding on the lonely shores of the small lake, before turning and fading into the night, its feet never making a sound as it disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

It may have been minutes, or it may have been hours later when Deidara and Shizune lay panting, face-up, staring at the moon, not daring to glance at the other.

Shizune took a deep breath, daring to glance sideways. "Well..."

Deidara also took a deep breath, glancing sideways. "Well..."

Sitting up, Shizune quickly put on her pants, shivering in the slight cold. "Thank you, Deidara-kun. At least now...I suppose...I know what true passion is. Not just a man's insatiable lust for young flesh."

Deidara smiled, sitting up himself and not caring to hide his exposed parts. "Are you sure that what just happened wasn't just that? An insatiable lust for young flesh, un?"

Shizune smiled back, sticking her tongue out at him. Immediately, his teeth latched on to it, pulling affectionately as she stifled a cry. Letting go, he planted a real kiss on her, which she gave back freely.

Leaning back, he smirked. "You know, Shizune-hime. This means that we have to get married now, un."

Shizune nodded, sighing as she leant into his chest. "I know, Deidara-kun. In a perfect world...we would."

Deidara nodded, looking up into the sky as the stars began to soften and a haze grew in the East. "But...we both know the world isn't perfect. Not even close."

Shizune sighed again. "But...this can be our moment. Our little piece of perfect. Right...Deidara-kun?"

Deidara nodded. "Hai, Shizune-hime. Hai."

_Our little piece of perfect._

* * *

Next Chapter: Their journey is finally over! Deidara and Shizune, along with Yodae and the others, arrive at the mansion of a very wealthy, and very generous, lord. Deidara is overjoyed with his pay, but...is he leaving something behind? And why doesn't he trust the man who is to be Shizune's husband fully? Something about how nice he is...isn't right. Next time: Meet The Lord! The Generous Deceit!

A/N: I will post another chapter soon. Before the inspiration leaves me.

* * *


	10. Chapter 9: The Generous Deceit!

**Deidara's Story**

**Clay Heart's Molded**

**Chapter 8: Meet The Lord, The Generous Deceit!**

* * *

The wheels of the cart moved slowly through the trench-like furrows drawn against the road, where countless other carts had been before. Thankfully, there had been a town between the lakeside stopping point and the small excursions final destination. Listening to the creaking and groaning of the wooden shafts against metal rivets, Deidara pondered the situation that he was now in. He had taken Shizune for his own. But, he also had Yanoi back in Iwagakure. Deidara was at a loss. _Well, I suppose if I just get Shizune to the end of this journey, that everything will work itself out. _

Looking up, Deidara sighed as he watched Shizune sitting in the middle of the carriage, all alone, the jostling of the wagon hardly noticeable on her form. Her face looked mildly sad, but that was to be expected. In just a few hours, she would arrive at her new husbands home. Her husband would give her everything she would ever need, and she would be miserable. Every day, her husband would demand things, and she would have to provide them, or else. It was for the good of the nation. Everyone would prosper from this union. Except for her.

_Shizune-hime..._It was true, Deidara thought. You only wanted more what you could never have. For the next few hours, Deidara would be in horrible pain. Not physical pain, though he could almost feel it. Not emotional, though he felt like crying. This pain was a confluence of all the pain that he could ever describe to a normal individual. A pain that would drag on until his mind was focused on another figure. A pain that would eat at his soul.

In the wagon, Shizune was feeling something of a kin to dread. Deidara was there, but for the most part, her mind was focused on the events that were going to unfold later that day. She would meet her new husband. They would have a make-shift wedding, with a handful of guests that she wouldn't know in the slightest. Her wedding would start the first day of the last day of her life.

Outside, oblivious to all this, the insects and birds buzzed around, the cows grazed on the side of the road, watching the procession of six men and a carriage drawn by a pair of brown, sleek horses slowly idling down the patch of dirt and rock.

* * *

The castle lord, Setama Daijou, stood at his window. From his perch, he could see up the road for miles, and from here, he would await his new bride. Lord Setama was a practical man. He had prepared his castle for the new arrival. His last wife was already being sent out of country. She was promised a cruise. Tragically, the ship would be attacked by a gang of thieves, and sent to the bottom. Alas, his wife would be on it when it did so. Of course, she, and the entire crew, minus the captain, who had been paid off extremely well, would join the ship. The lord of his domain smiled to himself. "Pity," he said into the lazy afternoon air. "It was a beautiful ship."

"Sir! A scout has come back! Shizune-hime and her contingent are on the way. They should arrive here within four hours!"

The man smiled. His long, thin beard hung regally near to his shoulder line, and he stroked it softly. Kicking his loose robe aside, he gave the air a stare, as if his gaze was being redirected at the lieutenant. "Very well, Lieutenant. I want you to continue surveillance on the escort. When they are within four kilometers, I want you to take an escort of our own. Twenty men, armed and ready. There are rebels within my woods. They may try to stop you. Don't allow any to interfere." He made a chopping motion with his arm, as if it was the final word.

The Lieutenant nodded, saluting and bowing. "Hai, sir. It will be as you say."

Upon leaving, the Lieutenant smiled. Silently, three shinobi dropped to the ground, to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. Just as quietly, they stood, robed in black and red cloaks, bearing red hands upon them. The Lieutenant sniffed, nodding at the three. "Our Lord Setama requests that no Red Hand militants be involved in this affair. Your services shall be rewarded quite handsomely."

A woman, lithe, hood covering her darkened face, saluted with a closed hand over her heart. Her smile reflected the cold, calculating stigma behind her mask of darkness. "Hai. Eet shall bee as thee Lord Setama deemandsss..." Her pointed teeth stuck between her lips, mirrored by her two companions.

One, a burly male specimen, at least a head above her, and more than three above their cohort, smiled in his own way, gnarled mouth and ruddy nose catching the light. Balling up his fists, he clenched them behind his tunic. "They have a shinobi of the stone with them. What shall we do about him? If this is to go off without a hitch, then he will have to be eliminated."

The Lieutenant grimaced. "It will be a shame to see him killed. I cannot understand why Lord Setama would request the Stone's best shinobi...just to have him killed off. But yes, he wishes that the shinobi be eliminated...discreetly."

The smaller male smiled under his hood, nodding. "Hai. Discreet is what the Red Hand does. Do not worry. No one will know what became of the shinobi. He will be taken care of." A chakra string slowly made its way from beneath the man's cloak. A quick movement of a hand wrapped it daintily around the neck of the priceless vase sitting on a sitting table next to the Lieutenant's hand. Another quick motion brought it quickly back. "Taken care of indeed." The next instant, all three vanished into the growing gloom, leaving the stalwart Lieutenant blinking.

"Hn...shinobi," he said. Turning, he began to make his way back to where Lord Setama was waiting for an update report. Silently, he fingered the vase. His hand barely touched the thing...making it crumble as if it had been smashed by a hammer. Cringing slightly, the man shook his head, repeating to himself, "hn...shinobi..."

* * *

As Deidara busied himself counting the fifteen millionth tree, he sighed. After fighting Red Hand bandits, cursing the day he was born, and pretty much going over every aspect of his life, he could no longer think about anything but the woman that was beneath him, resting in the carriage that would bring her to the man that would be her sole world for the rest of her life. It would be a tragic end to her story, and he, Deidara, could do nothing about it.

"Deidara-san!" Yodae exclaimed, yelling at him from beside the carriage, where his feet continued to pound. Deidara nodded, slipping from the carriage top with ease and landing in step with the lead guard.

Eying him for a moment, Deidara turned his attention back to the path in front of them, talking to Yodae without any kind of concern. "Hai, Yodae. What seems to be the trouble, un?"

Yodae gulped audibly, and then sighed. "Deidara-san...I'm sorry."

Deidara blinked. "Sorry? Sorry for what, un?"

"Deidara-san," Yodae began. Suddenly, his voice caught in his throat, and he couldn't speak for a time. The guard gave a slight cough, clearing his throat. "Deidara-san, the others and I have noticed that...well..."

"Yes? Go on, un," Deidara said. It was more comfortable to think about his dilemma's from the top of the carriage than to carry on a conversation with this man on the ground.

Yodae's hand rubbed the nape of his neck in slight discomfort. In the process, the man also found a sunburn, which ached against his skin. "Deidara-san, we've noticed that, well, you and Shizune-hime have become...close."

Deidara's eyebrow arched narrowly, and he grunted. "Hn. Go on, un."

"Well, we think that it's in everyone's best interest if you...didn't attend the wedding. As soon as we get to the Lord Setama's castle, it may be best to get your pay...and return to Iwagakure," Yodae said. Another audible gulp. It didn't pay for a normal guard to tell a shinobi what his business was.

Deidara took the words to heart, nodding thoughtfully. "It may be best, un," he said. Yodae's eyebrow rose. Deidara agreed? "Yes, it may be best to get along to Iwagakure. I agree with you, Yodae-san." Besides, if he were to suddenly leave, than he wouldn't do something to screw up the union...like blow the mansion to smithereens and steal Shizune away with him. Hopefully, his leaving wouldn't be seen as a discretionary gesture and more of an urgency.

Yodae smiled small and weak, turning back to the road. "Thank you, Deidara-san. You are wise." Rubbing the stump of his arm, he sighed. "This has been a long, and dangerous trip. Without your protection, we all would be dead by now, Shizune would be dead or worse, and our two sides of the map would be in a war. With your help, we have stabilized the country, and brought peace to the lives of those who live now, and those who will come after. Thank you, Deidara-san. Thank you."

Deidara smiled, nodding. "Hai, Yodae-san. You are very welcome, un. I'm just sorry that I allowed your men to suffer. That last group was..." and he paused, sighing at Yodae's arm where the stump swung to the rhythm of the man walking.

Yodae smiled, laughing. "It is a lot worse than it feels, Deidara-san. Do not worry about my health. I did not leave my arm on the battlefield for nothing, and I am sure that my lord will pay to have my appendage replaced with one of those newer model arms. Maybe one with a weapons holster." He would have to think about that.

Deidara snickered. He thought about Bushio, and how the man could lay down an entire army with a mere sweep of his hand, the entirety of an advancing troop cut down by projectiles and explosive cartridges. He had only seen it once, and he didn't wish to be on the receiving end of the attacks. Ever.

Suddenly, a column of dust arose from in front of the pitiful band of rugged survivors. Marching to the cadence of a single drum pounding out a beat, a double-line of men appeared, weapons in full array, outfits bright and seemingly dustless as they ran towards the carriage. Forming up around it, they turned as one, standing in position and pointing back up the path. Deidara's eyebrow rose as he surveyed them. "Cock-jays, un?"

Yodae sighed. "Lord Setama's men. Good, reinforcements."

A young lieutenant strode among the remaining, bedraggled troop, eying their clothing with disdain and marching up to Yodae and Deidara. Clearing his throat in a most officious way, the lieutenant gruffly called out, "we are emissaries of our lord Setama! Please, allow us to escort you the rest of the way to the manor, where you will be dealt with accordingly!" Turning, the man pointed up the path. "Troop! Forward...MARCH!"

Briskly, the entire column began pounding the ground in cadence. Those behind the wagon were giving it a rough boost, helping along the pair of horses that, seeing that their load was lightened, slowed their pace to just in front of the cart, allowing their leads to slack. Deidara grunted as a rock underfoot gave way, and his injured ankle shot a spasm of pain up his leg. He could tell that Yodae was in no better shape, his arm hanging limply as he courageously fought to keep stride with the fresh men from the manor.

Turning to the lieutenant, he smiled. "Oy! How about lightening the pace, un? We could use a break."

In turn, the lieutenant merely sniffed. "We have no time to lose. You are already more than fifteen minutes behind schedule. If you don't hurry, your pay will be severely cut." Deidara sighed and nodded. _Wouldn't want that..._

* * *

It only took a matter of an hour to reach the manor at the pace they had set. Bone-weary, foot-heavy, and thirsty, the six remaining guards slumped down, some against the carriage, some in seats that had been sat in the courtyard for use by the wedding guests. One even plopped down into the dust, his shield and spear hitting the ground and raising a cloud of dust.

"Welcome, my friends!" The lord of the manor boomed, walking out among the men. "Welcome, welcome indeed!" Turning to the blond shinobi behind him, he smiled. "Ah! You must be Deidara-kun. Well well, thank you, sir shinobi. You have done a wonderful deed today."

_Did I? _Deidara asked himself. Out loud, he nodded and replied, "hai. Thank you, Lord-Setama! Your guard has been decisively helpful in getting us through the toughest of difficulties. Those last two miles were quite harsh and treacherous, un."

Hinting at the sarcasm in the shinobi's voice, Setama's noise took an upturn into the wind. "Indeed," he drawled. Noting Yodae, he clucked under his breath. "I did not realize that my lord hired those who are so severely handicapped."

Yodae fought through the wave of agony threatening to overcome his body to give the lord of the manor a stiff salute. "I was injured upon the road leading to your manor, Lord! Rest assured, as soon as I have gained some strength, I will be right as rain once more. Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Setama!"

Momentarily placated, the man turned. "Good to hear. Now, where is my lovely bride to be? Where...is my Shizune-hime?"

It was as if a cue was given. The door of the carriage opened, allowing the brown-haired beauty to depart it. Taking in her radiant beauty, the Lord gave the girl a curt bow. "Princess. I am forever humbled by such beauty as you possess. It will be the highest of honors for me to have the hand of such a beautiful woman as yourself."

Taking her hand, he gave it a slight kiss, sending a chill up her body which he mistook for pleasure. Smiling, he stood, nodding at his guard. "See to it that the guard is given full use of the barracks. They are to be bathed, clothed properly, and fed the best of my stores. We will be sure that they are returned to their lord without further insult. Is that understood?"

"Hai, sir!" Slowly, the troops melted off, the original carriage guards picking up their personal belongings and heading off to the barracks, accompanied by Setama's men.

Turning to Deidara, Setama nodded. "You, shinobi. You may have a room in the manor for now. Tomorrow, I will wed Shizune-hime, and..."

"My lord!" Deidara cut in, raising a hand. Setama stopped mid-sentence, turning to address the impudent shinobi who would dare to interrupt him. "I apologize, but I must be returning to Iwagakure, un."

"Leaving? So soon? Why for?"

"It is not a personal matter, lord. It is just that my assignment was to bring Shizune-hime to this manor, alive and unharmed. I have done as requested, un. Therefore, on behalf of Iwagakure and myself, I would like to thank you gratefully for this chance to perform the deed that was handed down to me, and in regards to Iwagakure, to take payment that was promised for the fulfillment of the deed," Deidara stated, allowing his memory to jog the necessary speech made to a client once a deal had been made and successfully accomplished.

The Lord Setama stood, his eyes smiling behind a mask of graciousness. "I see you are curt, shinobi. I like that in a man. Guards! Bring the shinobi's payment at once! Be sure not to keep him waiting. He has come far, and done great deeds for us. It would be..." his voice trailed off for a moment, as if he pondered the words he should say. "It would be_ unwise _to lose another moment." Two guards saluted, turning and trotting off to the manor. Keeping his attention on the Iwa-nin, Setama grinned. "You will find the payment accepted by your council, along with a handsome bonus for keeping my beautiful bride alive and well, shinobi. Please, accept it with my sincere gratitude and thanks."

_Sincere my ass..._Deidara thought to himself. He bowed, nodding. "Please accept my thanks for payment received, un. Your bride is...lovely." He couldn't catch the rasp in his throat quick enough, and Setama's eyebrow rose slightly as he caught the octave change. However, neither spoke of it, and as Deidara straightened, he could sense the hesitation, fear, and anguish that emanated from the brown-haired woman that he had fallen for. He could do nothing. Could tell her nothing. He wanted nothing more than to blow the entire manor to smithereens, grab her hand, and take her back to Iwagakure with him. But his mission was at stake, his reputation was at stake, and his life was at stake, for to forsake a mission was ultimately punishable by death or banishment from Iwagakure, and with the state of the world, his banishment would mean certain death, either by roaming bands of enemy nin, or from his heart rending itself in twain.

Setama nodded, and both men stood uneasily, waiting for the return of his guard as they began rocking back and forth. An eternity seemed to pass before the waiting men chanced to see the guard returning with a briefcase. The icy smile returned once more to Lord Setama's face as he took the case from his lieutenant who had retrieved it. Turning, Setama opened the case, allowing Deidara to take a quick look at the money enclosed. Closing the case up, Setama passed it to the shinobi. "With my thanks, shinobi."

"With my gratitude, Lord Setama, un." Giving the Lord a bow, Deidara turned back to the carriage, walking stiffly to where Shizune stood by. Her face was blank, as if her mind were focused on a distant memory. Even as Deidara bowed and gave her hand a kiss, her face never betrayed the feelings that were boiling within her heart, that threatened to burst from her mouth. Though she wished nothing more than to grab the man who had won her heart and lock her lips onto his, she stood. "Goodbye, Shizune-hime."

"Good-bye shinobi-san," Shizune said back, monotone voice not wavering or flinching in the slightest. Deidara gulped audibly, turning and walking towards the gate. His head tipped a fond farewell at Yodae, who gave him a weak salute back.

As Deidara left the manor grounds and made it onto the main road, the Lord Setama turned his attention to Shizune, who shifted nervously under the weight of the man's gaze. Walking to her, he grasped her hand, pulling her close. "Hm. Yes, you will do wonderfully. Your poise, your grace, your quiet resoluteness. Everything I could have asked for the mother of my heir to be."

Shizune gulped, taking her mind to another world as the man's eyes roved her being. Had she the ability, she would have slapped him and walked away in disgust. As it was, she could do nothing but take his wandering eye.

His gaze fell upon her face, and on seeing her blank stare, his smile faded back. "My dear, have I upset you? I do not mean to. Please, let us adjourn into the house. My physician shall look you over to be sure that no harm was befallen, and after, you shall sleep in the second finest bed in all the land. Tomorrow, after we are wed, you shall sleep in the grandest bed of all. Mine." He gave a signal to his men, and two of them bowed deferentially, escorting the maiden through the doors of the manor to the stairs. Her room would be near the top of the tower...a means to keep her from escaping if she so chose to try.

As Shizune and her guard left Setama's sight, he smiled. Turning his attention to the one-armed palace guard, he nodded in Yodae's direction. "My friend, tomorrow is a grand day. Please, I shall send my physician to attend you. You look ill."

Yodae's arm felt as though a brand were working its way into his flesh. He flinched as a spasm ran through him. "It is nothing, my lord. Please, I would not trouble you..."

"Nonsense, Yodae-san!" The lord of the manor clapped his hands yet again, and yet again his cronies took initiative. One took Yodae's spear from him while the other quickly lent his frame for Yodae to lean against. Gratefully, the man did so, leaning his weight heavily on the guard and sighing in relief. Hopefully, his men were being treated with as much courtesy as he was receiving. "Tomorrow, I shall wed the beautiful Shizune-hime, and you shall find yourself rewarded justly. You have my...undying gratitude for your service, sir."

"You have my gratitude for the thought, Lord Setama-sama. Thank you. I will retire now," Yodae said, nodding his head balefully as the two guards helped him across the arena and into the manor.

As Setama stood in his courtyard, he the only soul occupying the space, he began to muse about the day's events. His bride was safely within his walls. The guards were all in place, and the shinobi was on his way back to Iwagakure. Wonderful!

Like three wraiths, the Red Hand shinobi's drifted in, stopping behind Setama as all four gazed out the Northern Gate. The small one took a step forward to Setama's side, his gaze never faltering from the open portal. "So, is everything as you wished it to be?"

Setama chuckled, a deep, throaty, hoarse laugh that echoed around the walls of the courtyard. "Yes, everything is perfect."

"Then we have fulfilled our part of the bargain."

"Yes, you have done so quite well. Thank you for your business." A hand slipped from the robe, palm up, in the Lord's direction, and he smiled. "Of course, you shall be paid handsomely. I am sorry that you lost men on the road here. Tragic loss."

The woman chuckled behind him. "Eet should bee no worree of thine, Lord. They were faithfool comrades, and deed their part most weel." She smiled, teeth glinting in the mid-day sun.

"Oy!" The large one stated, his hand coming up and resting on the woman's shoulder. "What are we going to do now about that shinobi?"

The Lord of the manor stood in the sunlight for a minute, radiating cold, calculating malice. Suddenly, he turned, nodding at the smaller one. "Do it."

The small shinobi nodded, flicking his hands in a peculiar motion, much like someone who was flicking a yo-yo up and down. Silently, the chakra thread he had been releasing snapped, the bow traveling down the length towards the open gate and down the path.

* * *

Heart heavy and soul wrenching apart, Deidara continued his drudging pace down the narrow dirt path. He was leaving his cares and troubles behind. The woman he loved was getting further and further away now, and it just meant that he was closer and closer to his long-term goals. He had to get back to Iwagakure to marry his Yanoi, and his heart would mend itself. If he could only see his Yanoi now, it would set his mind at ease.

Sighing, the blond shinobi mentally slapped himself. "Get a hold of yourself Deidara, un! You are a better man then this! Stop pining for some stupid girl you can't have and get a grip!" Suddenly, the weight of the case in his hand made him stop. Smiling stupidly, he sat heavily on the ground, rubbing his hands in anticipation. "At least the pay is good," he said aloud to himself. Snapping the locks, he opened it, grinning at the yen smiling up at him from within. _At least the pay was good..._he thought to himself. Slowly, he reached down, taking a handful of money and feeling it crinkle in his hands.

He couldn't help himself. Throwing his head back, he gave vent to his feelings, sending a shout through the still air. "Yeehaw! Damn this is a lot of money! I should be able to buy a crap load of shit with this, un!"

A distant 'moo' turned his head to the right, and he smiled at the cows in the neighboring pasture. "I could buy each of you your own barn! What about that, un?" A steer turned his head, dull eyes blinking in the sun, as if hearing the man's thoughts and acknowledging them. Chuckling, Deidara turned back to his case. His hands were about to replace the money when something caught his eye. A blank piece of paper? Beneath the cash was just a white piece of paper. Setting the money aside, he dug down through the yen to uncover the note. Pulling it from the case, he blinked stupidly at it. "A piece of paper? Why did they put a piece of paper in here?" He flipped it, and cringed. On the other side were runes scrawled in pretty handwriting...runes indicating...

"An explosive note!" From nowhere, a barrier formed, a crisp, blue sheen coming over Deidara's world with about four feet in any direction. A perfect trap. "Shit!"

It was about that time that the blond noticed the thread hanging limply from the explosive note, and as he watched in horror, it suddenly was yanked out.

* * *

Even from the four kilometers distance that Deidara had walked from the manor, Setama and the three shinobi could distinctly hear the sound of a mighty explosion, though no cloud formed, nor did any birds give voice to being disturbed. Setama smiled, turning and beginning his walk back into the manor. "Fantastic. Just...fantastic."

The three shinobi stood for quite a deal of time. The small one chuckled as the chakra thread disappeared into the haze of the day. "It was a waste of chakra to put that much energy into the note, Lang."

The female, Lang, snickered. "But eet was so mooch fun too do thees. Do you not agree, YaoFang?"

YaoFang smiled from behind his hood, nodding down at his two cohorts. "Yeah, it was fun. I'm getting real good at makin' those shields. Four kilometers, that's not too bad."

The smallest shinobi, Meechi, sighed. "You two. Fun will not win this war for us. The cause will be won through sweat and blood, death and destruction." For a moment, he thought and mused. Then, almost as if on a whim, he said, "yes. It was...fun."

The three laughed low and dampened before whisking away in a puff of smoke. They still had to find this man's treasure store. They were close to finding it, and once they had accomplished that, they would simply kill every person who walked within the manor. They would extinguish the light that was the land, and they would send a message to those who would oppose them.

The Red Hand did not work for anyone. They merely waited until they could take what they wanted. The world of shinobi would be free. Or the shinobi of the world would die. It was their choice.

Either way, a lot of people would die. The Red Hand would see to that.

* * *

Next Time: Has Lord Setama really gotten rid of his shinobi problem once and for all? When his physician is done with Shizune, secrets are uncovered, and tensions rise. Yodae becomes brave, but will he be able to protect Shizune...and save his own skin? Next Chapter: Lang, the Femme Fatale!


	11. Chapter 10: Lang, the Femme Fatale

**Deidara's Story:**

**Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 10: Lang, the Femme Fatale**

* * *

Setama stood at his balcony window, gazing out to the West as the slowly sinking sun went behind the tree-lined ridge. His nostrils flared as he took a whiff of the crisp atmosphere, and a smile played on his lips as he thought of the masterful plan that he was enacting at the very moment. His team of physicians were busy at work on Shizune. She needed to be ready to bear his heir as soon as the wedding was over. He needed a full grown heir in a mere twenty years. He would then raise an army large enough to overthrow the Eastern side of his province, and the entirety of the land would fall under his domain. At that point, he could even rage full-scale war on the Earth Lord, bribing the various shinobi villages to follow him into battle.

"Hn. Lord Setama, ruler of the Land of Earth. I like the sound of that..." he mused to himself. His hand reached to his neck, obliterating the biting insect that dared to land upon him. Still lost in his musings, he turned, walking quickly back into his keep. He needed to check upon his bride-to-be. She needed to be perfect. Just...perfect!

* * *

"Three-cheers to Lord Setama and his hospitality!" Yodae shouted, holding up his glass to his remaining troops. Drunkenly, they stood, shouting out and cheering to their benefactor. Sitting back down, Yodae drained his glass in one go, setting it down and belching. Using his hand to wipe across his mouth, he stared around at his men, who were laughing jovially with Setama's own troops. Jokes were being shared back and forth, and the atmosphere was quite light.

"Nothing like a good party," a man at his left said, sitting down. Yodae blinked drunken eyes at the newcomer, and he smiled, giving him a hearty push with his shoulder. The man, shifted slightly off balance, corrected himself immediately, taking a mug and sipping from it. Putting it down, he peered to the left at Yodae, who's rosy cheeks showed just how inebriated he was. "You are enjoying yourselves, yes?"

Yodae hiccuped, smiling drunkenly and patting the man on the head. "Of course I do! Never been better, friend! Why you ask?"

The man chortled, taking another sip. "Hn. I was asked by the Lord Setama to see how you were faring. To be sure, you are being well cared for, yes?"

"Oh yes," Yodae said, nodding. "His hospitality has been quite affable. Thank you."

"No," the stranger said, rising from his chair. "Thank you. I shall tell the Lord Setama immediately." Slipping out of the room like a wraith, the man made his way back to the main manor. As he left, he grasped one of Lord Setama's men, standing at the threshold as a guard. "Has it been taken care of?"

The man snorted. "Of course, as the Lord Setama ordered. The drinks have been drugged with the sleeping serum. The men will start getting agitated shortly, and then they'll be dead to the world."

The cloaked figure smiled, tipping his cloak hem. "They'll be more dead then that I'm afraid. Just make sure that nothing stops them from drinking their fill."

Again, the man snorted. "We are trained soldiers. We do not make mistakes."

The cloaked figure strode past, nodding agreement. "Of course..."

Still drinking in the hall, Yodae stared stupidly at where the man had left from the room.

Blinking a few times, he shook his head, smiling. "Huh, mush be drunkesher than I thought," he said. Taking a big swig, he sighed, laying the cup on the table. "Coulda shworn that guy had a headbandsh on."

* * *

Upstairs, the wraith-like man began to sneak his way up to the Lord's chamber, quickly opening the door and slipping inside, closing the portal without so much as a whisper of air. Setama was still off checking on his new bride-to-be, so the visitor took the opportunity to give the room a quick hazing. Pictures of the Lord were above his bed, in his bath chambers, on the ceiling. A mosaic carved into the stone made him look vicious and regal...far apart from the reckless, insane man he really was. The cloaked figure began a reconnaissance of the main room, checking under furniture, tapping the floor, lifting the sheets and the mattress from the bed. "Where is it..." he sneered under his breath. Creeping into the bath chamber, the man quickly glanced about the room, taking in everything within a few moments time. Tapping here and checking there, he quickly ascertained that his quarry did not keep anything precious in his bed chambers. Sighing, he turned, walking quickly back into the main room.

No sooner had he found himself in the Lord's chamber did the man's Lieutenant walk into the room. Shutting the door officiously, the man turned his nose up into the air. "So, shinobi...are the remaining troops satisfied?"

The strange man removed his cloak, revealing the short shinobi Meechi. The shinobi smiled. "Of course. They are drinking wine and eating food and being fairly boisterous."

The Lieutenant smiled, nodding. "Hai. That is well. When they are all drunk, we will put the dead girls into the room. We will cover them with blood, and when they awaken..."

"They will be put to death for the death's of Setama-sama's women, and no one will be able to object," Meechi finished for him, replacing his cloak.

"Good," the Lieutenant said. "Now, all we need is for you to finish the job."

"Of course. All in due time," the shinobi said. With a puff of smoke, the man disappeared, leaving the Lieutenant in the room alone.

The man snubbed his nose in the air once more, sniffing. "Hn...shinobi."

* * *

Lord Setama ascended the stairs to where Shizune's room was located within his manor. With every step, his certainty grew. Of a new nation, a new land, where his law was THE law. Where his hand ruled with iron and death. Where those who obeyed him prospered, and those who did not died by the sword and kunai and jutsu. Setama would rule with an army of shinobi and armed men. Perhaps after his power was consolidated he would take his rule outside the land of stone, to other shinobi villages. He would wage war against all of Japan if he had to. His would be absolute power!

Gaining the top of the stairs, the man entered the room with a flourish. Inside, machines beeped and hummed with power. Two technicians monitored the instruments while a shinobi medic watched over the patient. Shizune lay in stirrups, her feet dangling in the air. Her face was crimson red from the drugs she had been injected with to calm her anger. She was beautiful.

Setama went to her, stroking her face with his hand. "Soon, my beauty. Soon..."

"Setama-sama...sir..." The medical shinobi said, walking to the other side of the table. "We...have news."

"What is it?" Setama asked, his face still locked onto Shizune's form lying prone on the table.

"It appears that...your bride-to-be...is with child."

The hand that was a moment earlier caressing Shizune's chin and neck suddenly grasped the table, gripping it in a torrent of rage. "Repeat yourself..."

The medic gulped, taking a backward step. "Shizune-hime...is with child?"

"Repeat..."

"Shizune..."

"REPEAT!"

The Lord's hand suddenly left the table, striking the medic down and sending him to the other side of the room. Holding a hand to his chin, the medic gazed fearfully up as the lord of the manor bore down on him. The man's foot struck the medic in the stomach, curling him up as the irate man continued to beat relentlessly. "You useless, pathetic maggot! How dare you!" Emphasizing each word with a strike or a kick. "Now, say what you were saying AGAIN!"

"My lord!" The man's lieutenant brought Setama out of his iron rage, and slowly, he calmed himself, his hand raising to his face and rubbing his temples. His lieutenant was by his side, giving his shoulders a light massaging. "My lord, please. It isn't the medic's fault. Now, calm yourself, and let us get to the root of the matter."

The Lord made a swift about-face, as if the situation had never occurred. "Of course," Setama agreed, nodding. Turning back to the table where Shizune's prone form lay, the lord strode to her side, grasping her hand with his and feeling her feeble pulse under sedation. His face became a mask of woe and despair, and his voice was cooing and soothing, like the calm before the storm. "Who...did this to my Shizune-hime?"

The medic coughed, wiping blood from his mouth as he staggered to his feet. "Ahem...m...my lord. It was...a shinobi, by all accounts of it. The chakra...is definitely shinobi-like. I could pinpoint the shinobi for you with a test, if you'd like, but..."

"It doesn't matter..." Setama's voice cut through the medic like a knife, causing a chill to go up his spine. "The baby growing inside of Shizune-hime is not my seed. Therefore...remove it," he said, emphasizing the words with a snap of his fingers.

The medic blinked, taking a step forward. "Re-re-remove it, sire? Why? Should we not wait for the girl to..."

"I SAID REMOVE IT!" The medic cowed slightly in the face of such ferocity. Seething with anger, Setama's eyes betrayed the deadly feeling that his words conveyed.

Slowly, the medic gulped, and then sighed feebly. "No."

Setama's eyes slowly faded from a pounding red to a dull orange. The rage subsided in face of the medic's obstinacy. "What? What did you say to me?"

"I won't do it," the man said, resolutely. "It's not right, and it isn't fair. I made a vow as a medic to uphold the duty of all medic's everywhere. I wouldn't and couldn't do any harm to anyone for any reason except to stop the death or injury of another person. I cannot, by the law of the shinobi code, remove the child without Shizune-hime's consent."

"Veeerrry weel..." Suddenly, a hand plunged through the hapless medic's chest, and a gruesome pair of clawed hands, crimson with blood, stood portrayed against the man's form. Collapsing in a heap, the man sank to the ground, lying in a pool of his own offal as the shinobi assassin Lang removed her weapons. Licking the blood from her clawed finger, she stood, walking languidly to where Setama stood. "My lorrd. I can bee of asseestance. Allow mee to removes thees abomination from za gurl. Eet wood bee my honour."

Setama snorted, turning his back. "You...shinobi. You would probably kill her in the trial of it. I wouldn't allow you to. I could have made that medic do it. A simple torture or two and he would have..."

"He would have bungled the job, my lord." Meechi, the short shinobi, dropped from the ceiling like a wraith cloaked in black. Standing, the man placed his hand over his heart. "We shall see to it that the girl's child is removed. She will be a fit vessel for the lord to take when the process is complete."

Setama again snorted. "You idiots, it will be another month before I am able to make an heir with this one. I need one now! I'm getting impatient!"

Lang smiled. "I has somezeen for zees." Her hand reached into her cloak pocket, removing a small vial from it. "Thees eez a powerful herbal dreenk. Two zeeps, and the woman shall bee ready for zee baby. Eet forces conception. For free, for you, Lord."

Setama glared at the two for a moment. "The girl will not be harmed?" He asked, taking another look at Shizune's prone form on the table. "I may be...slightly hardened, but I do have standards, and I am not without my mercy."

Lang smiled, her pointed teeth dripping with a asp's venom. "Fear thee not, my Lord. She shall bee most safe. I assure you of zees."

Slowly, his mouth turned from a grimace to a grin, and Setama's eyes danced merrily. "Very well. You have my blessing. Remove the child, and give Shizune-hime the concoction. I want her ripe for the post-maritals. See to it..."

Lang smiled, bowing low. "Hai, sir." Setama nodded, turning and leaving the room. Watching the man walk away, Lang turned her attention to the prone form on the table, legs spread-eagle. "Hn. She ees a preety won, yes?"

"Oh yes," Meechi said. His hand slid to her face, holding Shizune's prone chin in his embrace. "Her features are flawless." Smiling, he looked up at Lang, who was busy preening her claws. "Don't make a mess, hm? We still want to get paid...if we can't find the cache."

"The mess ees what makes eet fun, yes?"

"Not this time, Lang. Keep it simple. Just take the child out of the womb. Try not to cut her too much..."

Snorting in derision, Lang mouthed a few words under her breath as she took off the steel claws. "Fine fine. You are no fun."

Meechi sighed. "That's another thing. Why do you insist on using that accent of yours. You are not from the Land of Snow, and you don't talk like that."

"Eet geeves me a foreign aspect! Do not test me, yes?" Lang hissed under her breath. She received a snort from her partner. Slowly, her hands came up, resting on Shizune's lithe stomach. Back and forth Lang's hands moved, until they were just below the girl's navel. "Ah...yes...thees ees the place..."

"Don't harm the girl, Lang. Just the infant."

"Of course, Meechi." A green light began to build, slowly and methodically, rising off the girl's stomach like a hazy mist. Trailing off Lang's fingers and onto the floorboards, the tendrils of green opalescence drifted hither and yon, curling around the base of the walls and the legs of the table. Lang's eyes lit up as she watched her own jutsu at work.

Shizune's eyes quivered, and she moaned restlessly. Her body writhed and wriggled in the chains she was bound in. Suddenly, her body gave a violent jerk, her back contracting and throwing her into a bout of seizure. All at once, the jutsu abated, and Shizune's body fell back onto the table, sweat beading her brow.

Licking her fingers again, Lang sighed. "A baby has very leetle chakra for me to absorb. Eet ees feenished." She said the last as though she were pained by the finale.

Meechi smiled. "Give it to her."

The vial of greenish liquid appeared in Lang's hand. Uncorking the bottle gently, the cloaked shinobi walked to the front of the table, carefully tipping the concoction into Shizune's mouth. Two drops, and the cap sealed the vial once again. Shizune lapped the liquid as though it were bile, but slowly, she fell into her stupor again. "The body shall absorb the child, and eet shall be as though eet never happened..." Lang said, returning the vial to her cloak.

Meechi nodded, turning. "Alright. Let's go tell that fool Setama that we are done. We have only to place the dead girls in the room with those soldiers, and our tasks are completed. The shinobi is dead, the child is dead, and the soldiers will be as well. Hopefully, YaoFang has found that idiot's larder of gold and jewels, and we can rob them blind." Meechi smiled, rubbing his hands. "I have twenty of my men in the surrounding woods, ready for combat. When I give the signal, they will kill every soldier in this place, and we can use this fortress for our own battles. We'll rule this countryside from this vantage point. No more caves. No more hiding. The Red Hand will rise as the supreme power of the Stone Country!"

Lang idled up to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. "Eet shall bee as you weesh eet, Meechi-san."

The plan was coming together nicely.

* * *

Yodae hiccuped, smiling stupidly at the mug in his hand that had been nearly finished. Willing his feet to move, he stood shakily, grabbing the table for support. His men were laid out, some snoring fitfully, two laying on the ground in puddles of drink and Kami knew what else. In all, it had been a fairly wonderful event. On the morrow, Shizune-hime would be married, and the country would be under a flag of peace and prosperity. It was all thanks to Deidara-san and himself.

Taking two steps, he quickly regained his balance, a large belch leaving his lips. His hand went for the door, his mind hoping that the bathroom was in that general direction. He had to relieve himself before he was in the same boat as a few of his men. No good having a commanding officer peeing his pants.

Suddenly, the door flew open, knocking him backwards against the wall and jarring his mind. Slumping to the ground, Yodae's half-open eyes blearily watched as four men strode into the room, carrying what looked to be scantily-clad women over their shoulders like huck-sacks. One of the men lay his burden against one of Yodae's guards, wiping sweat and blood from his brow. "So, when are these fools waking up?"

Another lay his down in front of another guard, and he cackled slightly. "Hn. About three hours from now. Imagine their surprise when they wake up and see dead girls in front of them." He smiled, his lips cracking with a faint laugh. "I don't know if they'll be more surprised or horny. Stupid idiots."

The other men joined in the laughter, setting down the remaining girls and leaving the room, shutting the door. Yodae's mind was still swimming, and he took a few breaths to calm his nerves. Something about the way he felt told him that he was under the influence of something more than alcohol. _They must have put something in the food or drink. I've been drunk before...but never have I been so unable to react or move,_ he thought to himself. Slowly, he staggered to his feet, walking to a barrel of water that stood in one corner of the room and parching his thirst from it. Soon, the refreshing liquid began to clear his head, and as his thoughts began to un-jumble themselves, he took stock of the situation.

Walking to one of the girls, he turned her over. She had been a concubine, a pretty one. Her throat had been slashed and she had multiple stab wounds on her chest. She had been killed in a gruesome and horrifying manner, and then dumped into the lap of his guard. Yodae grimaced as he began to check the others. All of them were the same. Throat slashed, body mangled. Fresh blood dripped to the floor, mixing with the dropped food and liquid that had already accumulated there. "What is this?" Yodae said to no one in particular. Making his way to the door, his feet still a bit shaky, he opened it, peering around the corner. Seeing no one in the corridor, he slipped from the dining hall, making his way to the nearest door and opening it slightly. Inside, Setama's men were drinking and feasting themselves, laughing and carrying on.

"To the men from across the continent!" One shouted, raising a glass to the ceiling. "If they hadn't come, we would still be getting paid cheap and having nothing to show for it!"

"That's right!" Another chimed in. "Without them being here, we wouldn't be able to take over their land!"

"Gotta have a reason for war! Nothing like a few dancing girls dying here and there to liven up a country, huh?" Another shouted. The men broke out into raucous laughter, and Yodae grimaced as he moved away from the door.

As he crouched and continued moving, his stub of an arm beginning to pulse with a new pain. _This was a setup from the beginning? Why would they set up my lord like this? _His mind went to work on the puzzle at hand. What would a few dead dancing girls accomplish?

As he turned another corner, he stopped, listening. To his right, he heard Setama speaking. Yodae had to find out what was going on, and hopefully, Lord Setama would blab something important. Making his way quietly to the room, he stopped, peering around the corner. Inside, Lord Setama was debriefing his Lieutenant, smiling and clapping the man on the shoulder. "Tomorrow I wed Shizune-hime. We shall try the guards for their 'crime' of killing my concubines, and to avenge them and the reputation of my house, we shall go to war with my cousin. After killing him and his followers, we will take over the entirety of the country. Nothing shall be outside of my grasp."

The lieutenant smiled, bowing. "Because of the guards causing strife in your house, the Stone-Regent and his lords shall be on your side. In the war, they shall give you aid, and your forces shall overwhelmingly crush the others. Your victory shall be most complete."

Setama smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Indeed. None shall live after my campaign of blood and fire. The countryside shall burn, and all those who oppose me shall be strung up as a traitor. With my competitors out of the way, and their land and resources mine to use, I shall buy the shinobi villages, one by one, until they are under my wings. Together, we shall strike the Earth-Lord himself, and I shall sit on his throne, leader and ruler of the Earth-Kingdom!"

His lieutenant again smiled. "I hope my lord Setama-sama shall reward those loyal to him..."

Setama smiled once more, turning the man around to look in the mirror. "How does...regent of the stone country sound? Good, yes?"

The man smiled in the mirror. "Indeed, sir. Thank you, my lord."

"This is just the beginning for us, my friend," Setama said, going to the window and staring out into the darkness. "After the Earth-kingdom, the Fire-kingdom, the Water, Waves...even to the Snow! All shall be under my prosperous reign! I shall mold this country into what I wish it! It shall be...glorious!"

His lieutenant nodded, his smile still on his face. "Indeed..."

As Yodae slunk away, he nodded to himself. _This whole thing was a trap from the very beginning._ Slowly, anger and rage set in, and his hand balled into a fist, quivering with hate. _I must find Shizune-hime. We must escape._

"You! What are you doing here?" A voice from behind didn't even faze the man. Quickly, he grabbed an ornamental sword hanging from a fixture on the wall, and he turned, stabbing. The guard behind him gurgled, holding onto the metal protruding from his stomach as he crashed to the ground. Cursing under his breath, Yodae turned, taking the next hallway and bounding up the stairs to his right. Behind him, he could hear voices and feet pounding on the ground. Gaining the top of the stairs, he turned to the left, running down another corridor. _I have no idea where I'm going here. Luck don't fail me now! _

"Where'd he go!"

"Down there!"

"Don't let him get away!" Voices in the corridors behind him added speed to his flight. Turning another corner, he slipped into the first room he could. Turning and shutting the door, slipping the lock into place, he turned, stopping at the sight. Shizune lay, strapped to a table. To the right, two men in white lab coats stared in horror at him, clipboards slipping from their hands.

One took a step forward, adjusting his glasses. "What are you doing here? This is a restricted area..."

Yodae growled. "Speak again, and I'll throw you out that window. Understand?" His voice quavered with rage as the two men nodded in understanding, standing back. Walking to Shizune, he took a look at the papers and machines, turning to the two in the corner. "What is all this? Speak!"

The men gulped, and one spoke. "They are monitoring her pulse and her vitals. After the procedure, we weren't sure if..."

"Procedure?" Yodae asked, his voice threatening. "What procedure?"

"Um," the man stammered, taking a step back. "The procedure to remove the fetus and cure her of..."

"The fetus? Shizune-hime was pregnant?" Yodae asked. The two men nodded in unison.

One of them made a half-turned smile. "Well, not anymore, and from what our data is showing, she is completely healthy now. So there isn't a need to be worried about her."

Yodae grimaced, taking two steps towards the hapless men. "Take...these machines...off of her...NOW!"

"We can't! Setama-sama would kill us if..." Yodae bounded across the room, snatching a large scalpel off a tray and holding it to the man's neck.

His breathing ragged and shallow, his voice craned into a high-pitched whine. "If you don't, I'LL kill you myself. Now...do it!"

"Where is he?" The Lord Setama was in high bad humor, and this little infraction wasn't helping things.

His Lieutenant sighed. "We have men checking every room in the manor, my lord. So, please calm down and wait. It is only a matter of time."

Setama seethed inwardly, his hand grabbing the rail of a staircase and gripping it in a death grip. "A matter of time is not fast enough." His fist balled, and he slammed it into the wall. "Find him...FIND HIM!"

"Hai!"

Yodae gave Shizune's hand a squeeze, and slowly, she regained consciousness. "Shizune-hime...I am so glad to see you again."

"Yodae-san?" she said, her eyes glazed slightly. "What...what..."

"It's ok. You're alright now, Shizune-hime. Come. We must get you to safety. It appears that..."

"In here! This door is locked! Open up in there!" The voices of soldiers at the door. A steady pounding began as the men slammed shoulders and stone carvings into the wood, beginning to shatter the frame. Yodae turned, looking at the window.

"Shizune-hime. The window!" Together, they raced to the aperture, staring into the space of three stories. Looking down, Yodae grimaced. "It is a long way to fall..."

"Yodae-san, please...go. I cannot make that jump. I can hardly stand, and a fall like this may kill me. I have no chance. But you...you must..." Shizune began, holding Yodae's face in her hand. Another statue slammed into the door, and Yodae looked at the failing barrier.

Sighing, he took Shizune's hand, smiling at her. "Shizune-hime...I'm sorry. I have failed you."

She smiled back, shaking her head. "No. No you didn't. You were very brave. I failed you. I should have listened to my heart. I should have..."

Suddenly, the door slammed inward, causing the wood to splinter. The guards rushed into the room, standing in front of the doorway and holding spears menacingly forward. Yodae grimaced, stepping in front of Shizune and blocking her with his body. "I shall not let you take her."

"You have no choice..." A female voice called from the back of the unit, and slowly they parted, allowing her to make her way forward. Halting at the front of the pack, she smiled through venomous teeth. "Shizune...eet ees soooooooooo good to zee you, yes? Feel better, hm?'

Yodae growled. "Don't you dare talk to her!"

The woman smiled, her hands gleaming as raw steel glistened in the light of the room. "Why do we not make zis eazy, no? Pleeze...for the woman's sake."

Gritting his teeth, Yodae half-turned his head, his hand gripping the scalpel with as much strength as he could muster. "Forgive me, Shizune-hime. Take care of yourself..."

Shizune's brow furrowed, and she grabbed his arm. "Yodae-san...don't..."

With a wrench, he shook off Shizune's hand, and with a guttural cry, he rushed the column, scalpel raised above his head. "FOR THE WESTTTTT!"

The female shinobi didn't even hesitate. Her movements were un-flawed, calculating and deadly to a fault. Her right hand slipped beneath his stretched arm as it plunged downward, and her arm shot through the man's middle as her other ran itself across his neck, spilling his blood to the floor at the same time as he was disemboweled. He gave no cry, nor grunt of pain. Wordlessly, he slipped to the ground, his eyes glazing instantly.

So died Yodae, leader of the guard entrusted with the protection of Shizune.

As Shizune was led to the upper-most tower, Setama came into the room, grimacing disdainfully at Yodae's form stretched upon the floor. "Clean up this mess. Don't you fools know that I have a wedding tomorrow?"

Lang smiled, bowing. "What of heez friends below?"

Setama smiled, staring out the window. "Bury their corpses in the back. I have no use for them anymore. A shame to have wasted good women on a setup that wasn't needed. Ah well...I have what I want. I shall get what I deserve!" His cackling laughter echoed about the room, and Lang's acid smile dripped malice as she disappeared in a flash of darkness and smoke.

Staring out into the abyss of night, the Lord Setama took a deep breath. "Soon, this land shall get what it deserves. Fire and chaos, order and rule. It shall be a land of obedience...or the land will be coated with blood."

* * *

Next chapter: As war looms, and Shizune's freedom comes to an end, who can save the land from utter destruction? Can a hero rise from the ashes and protect those who cannot protect themselves?

Next chapter: Save Shizune! Explosion of the Heart!


	12. Chapter 12: Explosion of the Heart!

_If anyone had said to me in the beginning of my life that I would grow up to be a cow that knew more than he needed to know, I would have said the only appropriate thing that I could come up with. "Moo." It is the language of the cow. It is the only aspect of my life that never changes, and it is the one thing that I have more than anything else that is within my soul and heart. "Moo."_

_Funny, how you can awaken one morning to find yourself in a situation that never had been gone through by any other cow on this planet._

_There was I, by the side of my favorite patch of grass. The sun was shining in the east, as it always does. My head bent, I lazily tongued the grass, the tangy, almost sweet flavor hitting my lips as it does every morning. My mouth chomped upon the sweetest of the blades, and I chewed, thoughtfully, mechanically. I would swallow, and perhaps bring it up and chew a second time, to take the entire flavor out of this particular batch of delicacy._

_As is custom to a cow, I wandered about the pasture. If I wanted to poop, I pooped. If I felt like mooing, I would moo. I tipped my head to the other cows. They were content in their ways. It was a good time to be a cow. Soon, the farmer would come out, give me a brush, tell me I was a good cow, and then go on about his day. He was a good man. One of the only men I have ever met. I have seen others, not so good as he is. They came and took away my compatriots. I don't understand the human philosophy of war. War is unknown to animals. We kill when we are hungry or threatened, and we leave everything alone when we are not. As a cow, I need not kill. I merely eat grass, and it grows once again for me to eat it. It is a good life, the life of a cow._

_Suddenly, from across the pasture, even from behind a clump of a bush, I spotted something that I had never seen. I spotted something interesting, even to a cow. Quickly, I made my way over before the others noticed. I wanted to be first to examine this interesting thing that had made its way into my pasture._

_I bent my head over to examine this thing. The outcrop was shaped like grass. Blades reached to the sky, and they had a quiet sheen over them as though they were sprayed with glass, like a window. But, more amazing than this was the fact that what I was staring at…was yellow! Never in my days on this pasture had I ever seen something the color that this grass was._

_Could it be that this was sickly grass? Could it be the start of a deadly grass disease? Or was it the tastiest grass on earth, and it grew only in this one, small patch? I couldn't say for sure. All I could tell was the scent of dirt and earth. I nuzzled the growing thing in front of me. It was soft, plump, like the first sprigs of a bush in spring. I sniffed appreciatively at it. After one more nuzzle, I bent low. I had to taste this new species, to see if it was edible. I had to know its flavor._

_My mouth opened, engulfing a small amount. I chewed, my teeth going to work. Suddenly, the ground gave a tremendous heave, and this scream erupted from it, such as I had never known. I backed off, to give this yellow abomination some space. In front of me, a man emerged from the ground, shaking dirt and rock from his clothing as he pulled himself from the hole. I blinked in amazement. Men were growing like weeds now. What will they think of next?_

**Deidara's Story: Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 11: Save Shizune! Explosion of the Heart!**

Heaving a sigh, Deidara pulled himself to the edge of the small crater he had made. His hand immediately went to his head, to feel where the bovine had stripped him of a small portion of his locks. He grimaced. "I suppose I should count myself lucky that I lost only some hair, un." Turning to the cow, he smiled, waving a hand. "Thanks! I had fallen asleep, and you seem to have woken me up. Sorry about not being something tastier, un."

The cow blinked lazily at him, giving him a curt moo before turning to find other, tastier venues of food. Deidara gave a small chuckle before collapsing on his back. "Yeah, I know how you feel, un."

"Oy! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" A human voice giving vent to frustration brought him out of his momentary lull. Straightening, Deidara was staring straight into the deadly blade of a scythe being held not three inches from his eye. Blinking, he looked up, at the farmer clad in overalls and a straw hat. "Stranger, I don't know how you got to be here, but I'm gonna give you the count of three to come up with a really good explanation before this here scythe is straight in your skull. One…two…"

"I'm a shinobi of Iwa, un," Deidara said, feeling his chakra reserves. He had very little to spare. It had taken all of his chakra and strength to create a replacement jutsu and a small chakra shield of his own. Whoever had trapped him within the confines of that blue chakra shield, they had known what they were doing. They were pros…

"Iwa, huh?" The farmer started. Lifting the scythe, he stroked his chin. "Couple fella's from Iwa came to my farm not more than three months back. Took my best livestock and my son, to fight a war they said. I don't know nothin' about no wars, but I do know that my son was my only chance at keeping this farm going after I'm gone. I don't know if he's alive or dead now, and I feel that I won't ever know. So, stranger, I'm going to let you try again. Lie to me this time, but you better make it good."

Deidara didn't even waste words. As quickly as the man's sentence ended, Deidara was up on his feet, kunai in hand. Two swipes and the scythe fell to the ground. Another quick motion, and Deidara was quickly behind and to the right, kunai at the man's throat. "Listen…I don't want to hurt you. I don't know anything about a war. Iwa is at peace, and has been, for years now. If someone from Iwa used a war for gain, than they shall be punished, un. But for now, I don't want trouble, and a scythe in my face really pisses me off, un."

The farmer gulped audibly as Deidara relaxed his pose, allowing the farmer to saunter away. Taking a breath, the farmer eyed Deidara up and down. "Well, I suppose if you were here to kill me, you would have done it. Obviously, you're a shinobi. No one without shinobi trainin' would have moved that fast." Reaching down, he picked up his scythe. "Reckon you best come on up to the house. Wife will have somethin' to eat I'm sure. She's a good cook. Probably chicken." The farmer turned, heading in the opposite direction of the road. Deidara glanced up the forlorn little dirt path to where a manor loomed in the distance. "Well, you comin' shinobi?" At the farmer's inquiry, Deidara nodded to the wind, walking behind the older man to where a small farmhouse loomed in the distance.

The farmhouse was small and cheerful. Small family heirlooms sat on the mantle and on the tables, and small candles and lamps created a cheery air. Sitting at the main dining table, Deidara felt out of place in the small dwelling. He was used to the Kage-Tower, and all the fineries that went with it. This was…plain. Ordinary. Not what an artist of his caliber would be living in at all.

The farmer sat opposite, eying him as Deidara's gaze roved about. "I can tell that you feel a little…misplaced there, shinobi. Tell me, how'd you end up in my cow field, huh?"

Deidara smiled, chuckling slightly as he turned to meet the man's gaze. "I was attacked on the road, a clever trap, un?"

"Oh?" The farmer's wife exclaimed, sitting down a large dish of roast chicken and tubers as she sat. "Did you get hurt at all?"

Deidara shook his head at the inquiry. "No. It was close. I've always had very good instincts and reflexes, un. I was able to create a mimic of myself, and I used a ground technique to get away at the last moment. Fortunately, whoever created the shield around me used a weaker shield at the base, un." He sniffed. "It was difficult, but I broke through it. I'm sorry that I ended up in your pasture. I meant no harm."

The farmer eyed him carefully, before breaking out in raucous laughter. "Bwahahaha! I like you, shinobi. Here, have some food. You're young. Young'uns are always hungry." The kindly old man pushed the food close, and Deidara pounced, heaping his plate high and tucking in. The food was simple, but delicious, and nourishing.

As the plate of food quickly sank, the farmer's wife tutted under her breath. "You poor thing. You must have been starving. Well, you just eat your fill."

Deidara mumbled hasty thanks as he continued to devour the meal. But a moment passed, and the meal was gone, Deidara belching slightly and pardoning himself. The old farmer laughed. "No need to apologize. That's just nature's way of saying that the meal was delicious…if I had eaten any, I'm sure I would agree. Now now, no need to apologize for that either. Tell me, shinobi. What will you do now?"

Deidara sighed, staring hard at the empty plate in front of him. "The lord of the manor down the road. I mean to go to his palace…and I'm going to kill him."

"You mean Lord Setama?" The farmer's wife stood up, staring levelly at Deidara. "That monster has taxed us all near to death. I have no love for that man."

"Aye," the old farmer agreed, sitting back in his chair. He took a small pipe from his pocket, talking as he lit up. "He's been nothing but trouble these past ten years or so. To see him go would be happiness on the land."

Deidara heard all, and more. He could see the pain in their eyes, and feel their emotion as a bitter taste in his own mouth. The wife sniffed at a handkerchief, turning her back. "Took all we had, he did. Nothing left. Nothing now…"

"You have your lives," Deidara said, standing. "Thank you for the meal. Nothing warms the heart more than the kindness of another." He gave them both a deep bow. "Do not worry, I will stop Setama and bring this all to an end, un?"

A bag was suddenly thrown onto the table. Eying it, Deidara poked it suspiciously. The farmer smiled to himself. "Figured you had nothing on you, stranger. Take this. It isn't much, you understand, but it's all we have left. I dunno why I'm giving it to you, and I reckon I'll never understand. But something about you seems…trustworthy. So, take it and use it to your good health."

Deidara opened the small purse, woven with red and gold thread in the form of a raven, and a cacophony of coins fell out. He blinked at the small mound of money on the table, and he sniffed. Quickly, he collected the coinage, stuffing it back into the pouch. Turning, he went to the door, wiping his eyes as inconspicuously as possible.

The farmer started from his chair. "Stranger, take care. Don't die, please…"

"My name isn't stranger," the blonde returned. He opened the portal to the outside, where the sun was beginning to go down behind the Western Hills. "My name is Deidara, from Iwagakure, and I will have my revenge…"

* * *

The aforementioned Lord was busy in his own chambers, primping, flossing, brushing, and primping some more. The ceremony had to go off without a hitch. The nuptials had to look as legitimate as possible. Otherwise, his wouldn't be the supreme word, and he would have no heir to carry on his legacy.

"Setama-sama! Your bride to be is waiting for you down stairs. Shall I begin the ceremony?" His lieutenant was a good, honest soldier. Hopefully, he would stay that way…if he knew what was good for him.

Lord Setama sighed, turning from the full-length mirror he was involved with and staring at the Lieutenant with a keen eye. The man was dressed in a formal tuxedo and tie, though his military training gleamed through the disguise. Setama smiled to himself. "Yes, my Lieutenant. Let us proceed. Is everything in order, then?"

"Yes, my lord. The bride is ready, the priest from the Land of Fire is attending and at the altar. The guests from the surrounding countryside are here, and your soldiers are watching from the wings."

The man nodded. The priest from the Fire Country would add to the legitimacy. With that little action, another country would recognize him as a leader and ruler. "And the shinobi?" Lord Setama asked, with a slight hesitation. He needed things perfect, and the Red Hand dogs would interfere with that perfection.

"They have been told to retreat for now. They shall have no presence here," his Lieutenant said, with a smile.

Lord Setama smiled, nodding to himself once more. "Excellent. Well, my Lieutenant, shall we go down and join the guests for the party? After all, I AM the main event, so to speak." He made a guttural laugh deep in his throat as he and his soldier left the room, shutting the door loudly.

As silent as a wraith, a black shadow dripped from the ceiling and onto the floor, coalescing into a man's form. Slowly, Meechi picked his way through the room. With the bumbling idiot downstairs, he could go through the man's personal area in private, taking as much time as he wanted to nitpick everything with a fine-tooth comb.

Turning over furniture and then righting it once more so as not to be detected later, Meechi made quick work of the room and its belongings. Standing straight, the Red Hand shinobi sighed. "Nothing. Not a trace of a gold piece or a sign of any money. This man has less net-worth than most peasants do…"

Another black shadow floated in, this time materializing near to the short man. "Meechi-san, why do you do zees, yes? You must…"

"Stop using the accent, Lang. For the last time, you were born in the Land of Rice, same as I. I don't talk like that, and neither should you. Now…what is it you were going to tell me?"

The sneer and leer on the woman's face would have made a lesser man faint, but seeing as how Meechi was the leader of the group, Lang merely huffed her displeasure. "There's nothing here at all, Meechi. Nothing! This man is penniless. I don't even know how he can afford to feed his troops, much less keep this estate running."

Meechi nodded, taking another glance about the room. "I would think that someone of his stature would have money around this place somewhere. I don't know how he could keep a manor running without some sort of…"

"Meechi-san!" Lang's voice had suddenly reached a peak level of excitement. The short man quickly crossed the room, walking to the woman and what she held. "See? A key!" Indeed, it was a key. A smallish key. Bronze, hardly worth a second thought.

Meechi snorted. "So? I saw that key too, Lang. It's nothing. There is no safe here. There is no locked door that we haven't already looked in. It's nothing!"

Lang smiled. "Ah, but Meechi-san. What is a key but a implement to open a door?"

The man sighed at his lieutenant. "A key opens a door or a lock, Lang. It doesn't do anything else."

Suddenly, Lang began a small jig of triumph. "Oh Meechi-san, sometimes you're too stupid for your own good." She turned the key over, revealing a small piece of paper. "The stupid fool keeps a piece of paper on the other side of the key. Now, why do you think that is?"

Not taking time to answer, Meechi snatched the piece of paper from the key, unrolling the small bundle and glaring at the piece of paper with a new-found contempt. "It's blank, Lang. Blank! You idiot! It's nothing but a worthless…"

"What does the stone country produce, Meechi-san?" Lang asked, turning and snuffing one of the candles glowing brightly in the room. It went out with a hiss.

"Copper…" he began.

"And?" Another candle sizzled.

"Tin, iron, and some clay products once in a while. Sometimes the occasional gem…"

Lang smiled. She walked to the last candle. "You're missing one thing, Meechi."

Meechi sighed. "Ok, please. Tell me what I'm missing, Lang."

Lang tittered, holding the last candle in her hands. "Phosphorescent stone, Meechi! Things that glow by night, things that you can use to light a path, to light your home, or…" With a flourish, she blew out the candle. From the other side of the room, a greenish glow issued forth. Meechi gasped, studying the paper.

The man smiled, chuckling low. Looking up at Lang crossing the room to be at his side, he pocketed the key. "You were always the smartest of us all, Lang."

"Thank you, Meechi-san," Lang said, bowing at the compliment.

The short shinobi threw his cloak on, taking the mini-map which glowed brightly in his hand in the darkness of the room, and giving his partner a smile. "Go ahead, Lang. Say it."

The woman smiled back. "Vee shall be reech, yesss? So very reech!"

* * *

From outside the complex, the Red Hand thugs could hear the going's on inside the manor. One of them, a burly man with a long scar across his face, sneered. "Stupid idiots. Havin' their liddle party, eh? We'll show them. Hahaha!"

Another, a stocky man with a long arm-reach and black jacket, merely sighed. "We're waiting for the signal, you dolt. Let's just wait for it." Around the camp, the other men nodded, polishing weapons and creating hand-signs. Creatures began sprouting about. Large lizards, a mouse, a couple of crocodiles. One man summoned a large hermit crab, which quickly snatched him up and stuck him in a small side-pocket of its shell.

With creatures created for the purpose, and weapons honed to deadly points, the Red Hand began the short trek to the outer wall of the mansion. Not a one of them noticed that they were one man short.

Wiping his kunai against the man's chest, Deidara glared at the back of the band as they left the clearing. "So stupid to leave your back turned." He had quickly surmised from the conversation that the whole thing was a trap within a trap. Setama had sought to kill him, and in turn, the Red Hand sought to take his holding from him. With this many Red Hand shinobi, it would be tough to gain access to the manor.

The blond smiled, fingering his kunai. "I guess I'll just have to kill them all then, yeah?"

Inside the courtyard, the guests were lined up in the make-shift aisles. Setama stood at the front next to a short man in a robe holding a large book. He smiled as the music began, signaling Shizune to step forward.

The brunette began her saunter out of the manor, taking a few steps into a waning sunlight. Next to her, Lang smiled, holding her arm as if walking her out herself. Through the corner of her mouth, she hissed, "remember, girly. You weel curtsy sooo neecly, yeess? You weel say 'I do' at thee correct time, and you weel keess your hus-band wheen you must. Orrr…" A kunai poked her back dangerously, and Shizune winced.

Before the other nobles had arrived, she had been made the guest of honor at the killing of the guards that had come with her. One by one, they had been stripped bare of their clothes, kicked to the ground, and made into target practice by Setama's own men. Lang had been there as well, that wicked smile plastered on her face. The men pleaded for them to stop, and Shizune was forced to watch as they were slaughtered mercilessly. Now, her entire family was in jeopardy. Setama had promised to eradicate them from the face of the earth if she didn't go through with this farce of a wedding.

Gulping, she continued to smile, her face a mask of radiance. Inside, her stomach heaved, and it was all she could do to force herself not to vomit on the spot. In front of her, Setama beamed. This was _his_ day, after all. Not one person would dare to interrupt _his_ day!

As Shizune reached the altar, Setama grabbed her by the arm, forcing her next to him. "You look radiant, my beautiful."

Shizune nodded thanks, wishing she could just stab the man in the throat. Turning to the front, the priest issued an all-quiet order, and began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…"

"Blah blah blah, priesty. Can we get on with it?" Lang said, her mouth wording 'or else' directly after. The priest gulped, flipping through the pages.

Finding one that suited him, he nodded. "Right. Right…Do you, Lord Setama-sama, take Shizune-hime to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have, to hold…"

"Yes, I do."

The priest blinked. "I wasn't finished. I need to finish. This part is very important…"

"It doesn't matter anyway," Meechi said, appearing suddenly in a puff of smoke. "We have what we came for." With a swift upward thrust, he ran the man through with a small sword, kicking the old priest off and watching him crash to the ground. The guests gasped at the sudden outburst and killing, some screaming in panic.

Setama glared. "What in Kami's name do you think you are doing? We had a deal!"

Meechi chuckled, holding the sword point to Setama's chest. "Deal's off. This is Red Hand territory now."

Behind him, Lang scaled the wall of the manor as only a shinobi can, seemingly running vertically up the smooth brick. Landing on the rampart, she threw kunai at the two guards who were taken unaware, delighting in the spray of blood as the two crumpled to the stones. Standing, she released her smoke bombs, watching the blue tendrils lick the air as they began to spiral upwards. "So eet begeens, yes?"

On the ground, the Red Hand shinobi smiled. The tall one with the scar pounded his fist together. "Alright boys! That's the signal! Let's go!" With cheers and howls, the Red Hand army scaled the walls, jumping to the top. From both sides, guards rushed in, wielding spears and swords, small knives and bolo's. The Red Hand were not top-notch shinobi, but even slightly skilled opponents with shinobi training and jutsu's were more than a match for trained soldiers with weapons.

As the guards fought on the ramparts, more guards rushed in from the manor, being met by Red Hand shinobi within the grounds. In all the confusion, Setama grabbed at Shizune's arm, rushing her into the manor. Behind him, three guards shut the door, bolting it. "That won't hold long," Setama yelled, turning to the manor proper. "Panic room, basement floor. Let's go." The three soldiers saluted, marching swiftly after Setama's fleeing floor, Shizune gasping for breath at the rate they were fleeing.

Outside, the green grass was bathed in blood. A few shinobi had been taken down by thrown spears and shot by arrows. The toll on the side of the guards was staggering. The remainder of the guards knew they were not fighting for profit anymore. They were fighting for their very lives! The shinobi crowded the men back into a corner, forcing many to retreat into the barracks and inner-sanctum of the manor. In small groups the guards were fighting the shinobi in hand-to-hand combat, but around the area, low-level jutsu's were being used.

Suddenly, as the guards fought against incredible odds, their Lieutenant stepped out into the field. The man, his moustache brimming with anger, took his sword from its sheath, stepping forward and dealing a shinobi a deadly stab to the sternum. Another Red Hand soldier turned, making hand-signs. "You're dead!"

The Lieutenant laughed. His left hand went to his chest, and his right went to his side, sword extended. A good forty feet lay between the two, and the shinobi smiled as he completed his jutsu. "Katon: Kyuufunka no jutsu!" A small stream of fire erupted from the ground, growing in magnitude until it rose far above both men's heads. The top of the stream arced, circling back around and slamming into the Lieutenant with the force of a truck. The shinobi smiled, clapping his hands as the technique ended and all that was left was a small patch of scorched earth.

"Thinking you have won before being certain is a costly mistake…" a voice from behind him said. The Red Hand shinobi turned, but too late. The Lieutenant's right hand came around in a steady arc, slicing the shinobi's head from his body. Following the swing, his left hand still at his chest, he smiled. "Kamisorikiri!" As the sword continued the follow through, a mighty wind cleft from it, speeding towards a group of shinobi who had just popped over the wall.

Their cries mingled with gurgles as the wind slashed through them. In less than an instant, it was over. Slowly, the men crumpled to their knees, and as geysers of crimson erupted from numerous cuts on their bodies, the men lay on the blood-soaked earth, eyes clouding over. The Lieutenant smiled to himself. Chakra erupted from his feet as he launched himself bodily at another small group of Red Hand shinobi. "You will all die!"

Deidara watched from the wall as the two groups raged on. He snorted. "Well, it saves me from having to fight all of them, yeah?" he said under his breath. A hand grasped his shoulder and twisted him about. A large man with a scimitar glared at him, and in the moment, Deidara had been caught off-guard. The scimitar crashed down, and Deidara had no time to react…as the man screamed and toppled over the edge of the buttress. Blinking, Deidara took a quick look to the right, where a woman smiled at him, winking.

"Deidara. Long time no see. How you doing?"

The blond smiled, sighing with relief. "Eesama-chan. I'm glad to see you, yeah?"

"What the hell have you been up to, Deidara!? It's a blood bath down there!" A large man appeared on his right, scanning the ground.

Deidara nodded. "Hai, Hiran. It is. I believe that the Red Hand decided to crash this party, un."

"Hai," said another shinobi, who approached the ledge to gaze down at the courtyard. "A lot of Lord's have lost their lives already." The man's wooden fingers ticked nervously against his thigh.

"Deko…" Deidara grimaced at the wooden clicking sounds. It always reminded him of Bushio.

Eesama sighed. "Well, what do we do?"

"We don't do anything," Deidara said matter-of-factly, standing up and brushing himself off. "I was going to kill all of these bastards anyway. Turns out that they are doing me a favor."

"Deidara! Listen to yourself!" Deko shouted in his face, grabbing his shoulder and punctuating each word with a shake. "These are people! They aren't animals!" He released the blond, backing up a foot or two and taking a deep breath. "Besides, you're supposed to be protecting the wedding party."

"I don't have time to explain…" Deidara began, taking a kunai and a small ball of clay from his pocket. "Just know that I'm sorry. I can't be bothered by this right now. I have one duty, and it's to get to Shizune-hime and make sure she's safe."

Eesama smiled, almost chuckling, and gave the man's shoulder a squeeze. "She must mean a good deal to you."

Deidara didn't answer, merely shrugged the hand off. "It's personal, un?"

Eesama made an 'I-give-up' gesture, taking a few steps back herself. "Whatever, Deidara."

"That still doesn't solve this crisis," Deko reinstated, turning back to the courtyard full of death and mayhem. Eesama came to stand next to him, as did Hiran.

"Those shinobi are Red Hand, un? Seems to me that they are the enemy here." Deidara had walked a few steps to the right, gazing down at the door to the manor. His right hand flashed, sending a clay creation flying. "I'm going after Setama. He's mine!" He didn't give an explanation, merely jumped over the side of the wall. The distance may have been well over 5 stories, but he landed with the grace of a crane, taking off from his point of contact as his clay pigeon smashed into the door, exploding it into bits and opening a portal into the manor.

Half a field away from the open door, however, the young Lieutenant stepped in his way. His sword flashed in the failing light, and he smiled. "You go no farther, shinobi." He made a swish as four other guards fell into place behind him. "You should have stayed dead!" Deidara grimaced as his hand strove for more clay.

"Deidara!" Deko suddenly appeared behind him, his hands at his sides. "I have no idea why we're fighting these men as well. But you've never been one to go wrong. I'm with you. _We're _with you. Now go. I've got these guys." Another set of wooden hands came forth from the joint where his elbow would have been. These twisted around, a long blade jutting from each appendage. His arms were now half again as long, a clear fourth nothing but slashing, cutting, dangerous looking metal.

The Lieutenant smiled even wider. "You both are going to die! Men! Fan out and kill them both!" He chuckled as his men widened out, encircling the two shinobi. Deidara thought for a moment about staying to help Deko when the other man pushed at him.

"I said get going, Deidara! Now!"

It was all the encouragement he needed. Taking a quick feint to the right, Deidara dodged to the left. Deko countered a soldier's spear with his longsword, cleaving the man's face in two as he parried another. A trapdoor in his chest opened, firing senbon at the Lieutenant, who expertly deflected them all. However, the lull in his concentration allowed Deidara to slip by, and he sprinted across the remaining distance, bolting through the doorframe and down into the manor.

The Lieutenant sneered at the shinobi in front of him, and Deko returned with a smirk. The mustachioed man saluted with his sword, and as Deko did the same with his, he snorted. "I salute the man who is about to die here."

Deko winked. "Same to you, buddy."

But Deidara could think of nothing else. His friends from Iwagakure could handle themselves. He had to find Shizune-hime at all costs. Before it was too late!

* * *

Next Time: As the war rages outside, Deidara slips through the manor, his mind on Shizune. However, the Red Hand shinobi have no intention on letting him do as he wants. He finds that he'll have to fight his way into the manor, one room at a time.

Next Chapter: Deidara Vs. Lang!

A/N: Sorry for the long wait time on the chapters. This one took a while, and I've been typing slowly on and on. Again, sorry for the delay yall. My other stories are pretty much on hold now, as well.

Katon: Kyuufunka no jutsu – Fire Style: Sudden Eruption Technique

Kamisorikiri: Razor Slice


	13. Chapter 13: Deidara Vs Lang

**Deidara's Story: Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 12: Deidara Vs. Lang**

* * *

Deko smiled as he feinted once more, slashing down and through a man's spear, listening to it crack and splinter and feeling the sensation course through his forearms, cutting the man down on the backstroke, listening to him scream with agony before crumpling in a pile on the ground, a crimson heap. The shinobi back-stepped quickly, hopping with grace and agility as a deva_s_tating rain of blows from the Lieutenant's weapon cleaved the air. He ducked under a swing, back flipping lightly at a thrust.

The mustached-man grit his teeth, his arm flying at an alarmingly fast rate. "Stay still, won't you? It's hard to kill something that's hopping around!" He slashed vertically, following it up with a side-slash as Deko bounced to the right to avoid it. Deko grunted, feeling the tip of the sword carve a small slice into his abdomen. Blood splattered and left a red mark against the cold steel.

Deko rolled, stopping and throwing his hands out. A rain of senbon flew forth, causing the Lieutenant to stop his attack and begin a rapid defense of deflection and dodging. As the senbon stopped flying, the Lieutenant smiled, his lips curling in a mocking display as his sword swished at his side. "Did it hurt when my sword bit into you?"

Deko hopped to his feet with a flip, shrugging. "Not as much as this will." He did a flip backwards, his hands coming to his chest. "Katsu!"

Unbeknownst to the Lieutenant, each of the senbon that were buried in the ground were wrapped in an exploding note, and by deflecting them into the dirt, he had effectively created a trap of exploding doom. As the notes began to glow, the man gasped, gathering a bit of chakra and hopping into the air. Below him, the ground erupted into chaos as the notes exploded, sending shrapnel flying in all directions. Suddenly from above, a shadow loomed, and he had just enough time for a surprised grunt as Deko's foot collided with his head, sending the Lieutenant tumbling to the ground.

Landing lightly on his feet, Deko stood, patting himself down and smiling. "Huh. Got you with that old trick? Easy enough." He lightly tapped the man on the head with his foot, checking to be sure that he was out. Satisfied, he sighed, holding a hand to his side and feeling the sickly, sticky sensation of fresh blood boiling from the wound.

Deko turned his attention to the rest of the battle, assessing the situation. The Red Hand were slowly being fought back. The remainders of Lord Setama's men were making a stand, though if many were alive at the end of everything, it would be a miracle. Eesama was making quick work of a band of Red Hand, her lithe, cat-like body bounding in and out, dodging weapons and minor jutsu. Every once in a while, her paw would lash out, and another rebel would fall in a spray of crimson, to join his fellows already littering the ground and attracting flies.

Deko glanced to his right, trying to figure out where Hiran would be, when a sword suddenly appeared out of the right side of his chest. Intense, flaming pain threatened to consume him in a mere moment, and his lifeblood tumbled out of him like a waterfall. Deko stumbled, staggering forward before hitting his knees. Behind him, the Lieutenant sneered, twisting the sword in a jerky motion. "Shinobi scum! Learn when to finish your opponent off before they finish _you_ off." He twisted again, and Deko cried out in pain, feeling the sharp metal against his ribcage. A trickle of blood erupted from the side of his mouth, and he coughed in a sudden fit. The mustached Lieutenant bent down, so that his mouth was near Deko's ear. "Now Shinobi…die!"

"YOU FIRST!" Deko cried. His right arm suddenly dislodged, falling off completely. The shinobi medics had amputated everything from the shoulder down, fearing against infection. For three days he had sat in the hospital, staring out the window, asking himself if he would ever be the shinobi that he wanted to be. Then, another shinobi had entered his life. He was the trainer and mentor of a blond shinobi named Deidara. After a quick lesson on what could have been a worse wound, the man had given him the most important and symbolic thing he had ever received. A fake hand, crafted from strong bamboo. The joints were oiled and worked beautifully. He held it reverently, and blinked in awe. He stroked down each finger, feeling it respond. Suddenly, four needles erupted from the fingers, and before he could blink, the shinobi teacher swatted the hand from his grip as the senbon shot into the wall.

"Look underneath the underneath," the man had said.

He knew he had but a few moments left. With the removal of his arm came hope. Hope in the form of a kunai. Using his last strength, Deko shot out with his left leg, catching the lieutenant with his weapon just below his chin. Blood dripped from the wound as he stuttered, falling onto his knee. He attempted to speak, but couldn't find the air. A crimson fountain erupted from his neck, his jugular vein exposed and pumping hot sick across his chest. Almost like in a movie, the lieutenant drifted to the ground, the pupils of his eyes glossing over.

Deko smiled, his own body slumping to the ground. The Iwa shinobi stared across at his fallen enemy as his chest gurgled and bile spewed from his mouth. Then, all was inky blackness, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Deidara raced through the manor at top-speed, checking each room as he went. Once in a while, a soldier would pop up to challenge him, swinging a sword or spear in his direction. In the mood he was in, none of them had fared very well. Not to mention the cook, who had thrown three cleavers, a butcher knife, and a whetstone at him before fleeing in terror with a homing pigeon hot on his heels.

Running to the end of a corridor, Deidara glared around at the paintings and torches lining the wall. The light given off danced merrily in a jig, the figures in the paintings seemingly dancing in the iridescence. The blond shot down another corridor, stopping to grab a torch from the wall as a black thickness developed the light. "Someone must have come this way and extinguished the torches, un?" Deidara mused to himself.

Another corridor slanted off to the right, and he took it. His footsteps echoed down the corridors as he shot down the endless darkness. If Setama had taken Shizune this way, she must have been extremely frightened. The shinobi grit his teeth, willing his tired feet on harder, further. He had to reach Shizune.

It seemed an eternity, but suddenly the corridor ended. He didn't see it end exactly. The gloom in front of him was perpetual, sucking the light from his torch like water from a sink after the plug is pulled. He could feel the emptiness of a larger space. In that emptiness…a presence, sinister, powerful and lithe like a swooping falcon.

Deidara gasped, hitting the ground and rolling a few feet to the right. Behind him, he heard something slam gracefully into the rock and concrete. A woman's form. Sinister and lethal, sanguine and elongate. A terror in a compact shell.

A small titter began to filter from it's mouth, and slowly, the woman put face to laugh. She was beautiful, and Deidara didn't have a doubt that more than one man had succumbed to her beauty and felt the sting of her kunai in his heart.

Slowly, she stood, her fingers caressing her thigh. "Hello…shee-no-bee."

Deidara smiled. "'Ello."

"So…" she said, her other hand going to her stomach, working its way along her navel and playing with her frame. "You moost bee thee sheenobee we have heard oof, yeese?"

The Iwa nin smiled back, standing to his full height and stretching slightly. "Depends on what you've heard, un? Probably the same one."

"Good," she said. With a flourish, she bowed. "My name ees Lang. I am froom the Land of Snow, and…"

"No you're not, un."

The woman started slightly, taken aback by Deidara's non-plussed attitude. How dare he just dismiss her lineage from the great Snow Country?! "How dare you, you impudent little…"

"You're not tan enough to be from the Snow, Ms. Lang," Deidara stated, again cutting her off. "The Snow Country is covered by a layer of snow for about 11 months of the year, Summer included. The rays of the sun bounce off that snow, creating an effect like a tanning bed, un." He smiled as he cast his light forward, her complexion more visible. "You have fair skin, probably covered by a hood your entire life. Sad really, un. You would look much better with all of your clothes off…"

"Scum!" Her hand shot from behind her waist, and kunai zipped through the still blackness. Deidara barely managed to avoid being cut down, dodging around the first and twisting around the second. As he came back up, a fist smashed into his face, catapulting him backwards into a concrete barrier and forcing the wind from his lungs. A blur whisked by, grabbing his head from behind. The sheer power of the arm behind the hand was more surprising than what the hand actually did, which was smash his face into the ground.

Deidara grunted, his body in fits of pain. He hadn't recovered from the blast on the road completely, and he really wasn't in the mood for an all-out fight, especially with a hot bitch that lied about where she was from.

The woman hopped to the right, sizing the blond up as he struggled shakily to his feet, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and spitting a stream of blood onto the rocky floor. "Hn. Did you like the cold rock against your face, shinobi? Maybe next time you'll think twice before you say something about someone else's lineage…"

"You don't have an accent, un?" Deidara's comment apparently threw the woman for a loop. The fury on her face was impressive for a creature as beautiful as her.

A sound issued forth in the dank, cavernous room. A sound like metal sliding from a scabbard. Her hands suddenly grew a foot, her fingers curved and lethal. Slowly, she put them to her mouth, licking the wicked looking blade and drawing blood, which she swallowed with a sigh. "I haven't taken these out for a while. You must be a very good lover…"

Deidara smiled. "Is that an invitation?"

The chuckle from her mouth didn't disguise the lethality of her words. "In this matter, it will be I that is inside of you. I wish to feel your innards. I want to watch you scream and beg as I claw out your heart! Your entrails and organs will seep upon the ground, and you will languish in your own blood as I cleave you piece by piece!"

The blond continued to smile casually, taking a kunai from his bag and sticking his hand into the pouch on his right. He felt it lap up a small chunk of clay, its tongue working it into a lumpy mess and adding chakra into it. Staring straight at his enemy, Deidara nodded. "Foreplay is always more fun when someone bleeds."

"Let's find out!" With an animalistic roar, Lang shot across the small space between them, and Deidara met her in the middle, expertly bringing his kunai up and around, blocking her hand blades. Together, they pulsed back and forth, each seeking an opening, neither giving any space. One of them would die in that hole in the ground.

Deidara hoped it wouldn't be him.

* * *

Eesama licked a paw, cleaning the blood off as she stood on the body of another Red Hand soldier. Three of them were incapacitated on the ground. She had taken them by surprise and had simply bowled them over. For soldiers bent on world domination or whatever they were planning, they weren't well trained. Hardly worrisome, more like mindless rabble with knives and some low level jutsu's.

Her form started to materialize, and as a woman once more, she stepped away from her carnage, to survey the scene. In the corner, three or four Red Hand were still fighting with a couple of guards, going back and forth. Meh, let them take care of their own battle. Across the courtyard, dead soldiers and Red Hand thugs mixed with the bodies of nobility. The killing was all encompassing. At least two hundred bodies lay here, and there were more coming, though the fighting was coming to a lull now. Another few minutes of taking out Red Hand idiots and it would be over completely.

She looked around, noting Hiran in the corner busy tying up a couple of Red Hand who had thought they could hurt the brute. It was Hiran's special ability. He took damage and showed wounds, but he felt no pain and it didn't hinder his power. He never got tired, and he never backed down, as the shinobi who fought him now knew.

Eesama smiled. Looks like it was just about over for them now, but where on earth was Deko?

She stepped into the carnage once more, her eyes watchful but intent on finding the man that had long ago stolen her heart. She hadn't known Deko long, but something about him had drawn her in, like a moth to a flame. He was a leader, a mentor, and he had saved her life. Five years ago, when she was just about twenty and he was only sixteen, he had fallen for her as well. She would go out on missions, and though she never told anyone, she could sense that he had followed her on many. It was puppy love, she reasoned. One day, he would grow up, and find himself a girl. Then she would get on with her life. She never bothered to tell him off.

One mission changed all that, however. Her team was surrounded by enemy shinobi of the Rice. A rogue shinobi by the name of Orochimaru had set up a secret laboratory in the Land of Stone, and her team was to find it and keep surveillance. However, the man had backup and followers. Some twenty shinobi had them dead to rights, and after a short chase in which one of her five-man cell was killed, the other four were backed against a wall of rock. The shinobi in front of them had given them a choice. Join or die.

One of her team said he would join the group, the other three stood their ground. One of that group was Hiran, her other team member. He stood by her as well, waiting for the end as their team mate walked calmly to the other side. As soon as his foot crossed an imaginary line, he was cut down by a single blast from an exploding note, which had been placed when no one was watching and triggered when he stepped blindly into it.

The explosion, along with the dust cloud that followed, provided cover for a small form to jump down from the cliffs above, some hundred feet above. It landed in front of the three shinobi from Iwa, and stood. A boy, lithe, tough looking. His arms came up, and she heard a distinct noise, like air exploding from a ball that is punctured in a swift movement. Screams issued from the other side of the dust cloud, screams of anger and frustration.

In the ensuing battle, the four Iwa shinobi had fought bravely. Her third team member was killed when three of the Sound shinobi took him by surprise, cutting him down savagely. Between Hiran, Eesama and Deko, they managed to kill another six nin, five dead and most wounded after Deko's initial attack. Because of the furious onslaught, the Sound nin backed off a bit, giving enough time for another squad of Iwa nin to get there. She had literally laughed as the nine remaining shinobi of the Sound were taken unawares and cut to ribbons before her eyes. Jutsu's erupted around her as Hiran and Deko joined the fight for one last attack, ending the struggle.

After the battle, the orders were changed, and a contingent of shinobi were dispatched to destroy what was obviously an underground bunker and training facility, as well as housing some of Orochimaru's more unsavory pets and experiments.

Back at Iwa, Eesama visited Deko in the hospital, as he had sustained more damage than either her or Hiran in the course of the battle. She spent hours at his bedside, refusing missions so that she could be close to the boy…to the man who had saved her and Hiran from certain death. From then on, the two were always together, though never officially. As far as Eesama was concerned, a shinobi had no ability to be happy with a family when every day could be their last. As far as Deko went, he believed that anyone could become what they dreamed, and he never stopped dreaming that one day they could settle down and be together.

For now, she would settle for just a glimpse of the man. She slipped slightly on the moist, red battlefield, sighing. Her boots were going to need some serious cleaning after this whole thing was over. She went back to her vigil. Where on earth was that man?

A hand grabbed her from behind, whipping her backwards. She recognized Hiran's muscular arms, and she flipped lightly onto her feet. "Hiran, what in the devil…"

Another form slammed into the earth, sending Hiran several feet down. The man had barely saved her from getting pummeled into the ground before he had been put in her place. Standing above the crater he had just made, the Red Hand soldier stood, cracking his neck. The earth shook as Hiran burst from the ground, landing heavily on feet that were made of solid steel. Coldly, he growled at the newcomer. "Hey, who're you?"

The large man smiled, gritting his teeth. "Name's Yazamaori LaoFang. My friends call me Lao. You may call me Fang."

Hiran grunted, wiping blood from his bleeding lip in disdain. "Should call you girly-man, way you punch…"

LaoFang cracked his fingers, smiling. "This should be good…"

* * *

Deidara gasped as Lang's claw bit into his side again. She smiled, hopping backwards to get some air as the man stumbled away, holding his bleeding stomach and gulping in air. He had only gotten two good hits off. This woman was like a shadow. She would attack and then feint, move and then thrust. It was like trying to hit a fly with a pencil after drinking four shots and five beers after three days of working on a boat in the middle of the ocean during a storm. In a short word, impossible!

Unfortunately, his attacks were ineffective against this opponent. Three times he had managed to put an exploding artwork in front of her. Not more than a few inches from her, in fact. Each time, she managed to escape the blast. She was expelling the energy from the blast and drawing it in. Such a powerful opponent as she was, it would take all his cunning and skill to find a way past her defenses.

"What's the matter, shinobi? Getting tired?" Lang said with a smile, catching her breath and feeling her bruised ribs where he had managed to connect with a fist.

Deidara smiled right back, willing himself on. "Not even close, bitch. I still got a few tricks up my sleeves."

His right hand lunged out, and a small clay bird rocketed forward, buzzing with killing intent. Lang simply side-stepped, her hair whipping about as she missed the bird by a country mile, and she watched as it bounced off the wall, hitting the ground and kicking it's useless, stubby legs wildly. Turning, she watched another bird fly at her, and she hopped sideways and forward, bringing her three steps closer to the blond as the bird hit the wall and stuck like a booger on a mirror. "Your birds are getting sloppy, boy. They don't even explode anymore."

"Shut up!" More birds flew, and she began a deadly game of cat and mouse, dodging and ducking, dipping and diving. The birds weren't more than flying nuisance's. Each time he cast one out, she would dodge, get closer. Soon, she'd be in range, and he would feel the bite of her claws again.

Another bird, another dodge. This time, she didn't bother getting a foot or two closer. She hit the ground after a flip, launching herself directly at him and slamming him bodily into the ground. The blond grunted as Lang's full weight landed on his damaged body. Smiling triumphantly, the brunette beauty dipped her head down. "Don't bother to struggle, shinobi. You've lost plenty of blood, and I have so many wrestling tricks up _my _sleeve that you won't be able to move."

Deidara didn't take her word for it. He struggled bravely against her lithe frame. He couldn't imagine a small body like hers would be able to pin him down. Maybe he was tired, or maybe he _had _lost enough blood that he couldn't move. In any case, he was stuck. Suddenly, the woman's mouth shot down, latching onto his. Her tongue probed his mouth, but he couldn't back away as his head was stopped by the stone floor.

Though he couldn't believe it, he suddenly felt relaxed. Sated, almost. It was almost as though this woman's kiss made his troubles go away. His pain suddenly lessened. He felt more at ease. He even started to return the kiss, his tongue probing at hers. Maybe she would do him first before cutting his throat. It was the least she could do, right?

His hands began to lap wildly at his fingers, as if trying to get his attention. He almost snapped to attention with the thought he just had. With as much energy as he could muster, he shut his mouth closed, his teeth coming dangerously close to cutting her tongue off as she pulled out and sat back, watching him. She licked her lips, her eyes lighting up. "You taste good. Very good…"

"What the hell are you doing to me, you bitch!?" He yelled, squirming to get free.

She smiled, her legs constricting tighter. "I have a special ability of my own, shinobi. I can steal the essence of others. Make it my own." Her tongue probed her teeth, and she sighed. "You are delicious, shinobi!"

"Eat me!"

"Very well…" Her mouth dipped down, and though she didn't lock lips with him, he could feel her breathe against his lips. She began to suck in air, as though through a straw. As though cold water was washing over him, he could feel his insides leaving him. His strength ebbed like the tide, and his thoughts began to blur. She was literally sucking out what he was. His soul, if he actually believed in that kind of stuff. He struggled against her, trying to cut off what she was doing, but to no avail. Slowly, little by little, she was stealing him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Suddenly she stopped, and her face gazed at his. Her smile became dark and feral, as though the mouse were already in her mouth. "Shinobi…I have tasted you before…"

"Like hell you have, un!" Deidara yelled, still trying to wiggle free.

Lang smiled again, staring down at him with a predacious grin. "Yesssss…I have tasted you before. It was you! You were the one who impregnated the girl."

Deidara's movements stopped, and he blinked up at her. "Wh…what?"

"The girl. The brown haired girl that the foolish lord thought he would be marrying today. Your offspring was inside her. Your essence, half of you, half of her." Her chuckle deepened, darkening into a cloud of despair. "Yes…you slept with her, yes? You took away her girlhood." His body didn't move, and his eyes were cloudy with realization. Slowly, Lang stood up, backing away slowly.

"Where is my child?" Deidara asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Lang merely chuckled, her hands grasping at the air. "It is dead."

Her words hung in the grim chamber like a fog, like smoke threatening to choke the life from any who resided within. She didn't hear him breath. She didn't hear him move. She knew exactly where he was in the dimly lit chamber that was so far under the ground that no living thing should dare be there. Like a sword being unsheathed, the blades in her hands sprung forth with a _shunk_. Her smile turned feral, and Lang took a few silent steps forward. "It wasn't painful, I assure you. It was quick, easy. Like snuffing out a candle." Still no response. Lang had hoped for more spirit, but it was alright.

Her pace quickened, and she leaped into the air, turning a slow somersault. Stretching out her claws, she shot downward, extending her hands in front of her. "GOODBYE, SHINOBI!" She would soar down like a hawk, to pluck his heart from his chest. She could feel his lifeblood pouring out of him, like a crimson geyser that she could bathe in! It was beautiful!

Without warning, a pair of hands stretched out, grabbing hers between the claws and forcing her to stop as abruptly as a train-wreck. With a guttural yell, the blond strove upward, using Lang's forward momentum against her to raise himself off the ground, twirl her in the air, and fling her back upwards with the savage fury of a man possessed. She screamed in sudden panic as she felt herself rocket through the stillness, only to slam heavily into the roof of the cavernous room with a sickening _thud_. The wind was expelled from her lungs, and she couldn't scream again as she fell back to the bottom of the room. She found no reprieve on the rocky ground below, and her body felt jarred as she took stock of her wounds, sucking in copious amounts of air to ease the pain in her lungs.

Slowly, she worked her way to her feet, trying to feel out the shinobi that was supposed to be dead by now. She had never fought another opponent for so long, or who was so skilled. She stood in the center of the room, eying the darkness around her.

A sudden light flared at one end of the room, and she turned, her claws ready. She was hardly defeated yet, and she knew that she had more chakra than this blond shinobi who dared tell her that her proud heritage from the Snow was a fraud. True, it was, but he didn't need to point it out.

On the other end of the room, Deidara stood, torch flaring in one hand, his face a grimace of pain and hatred. Lang smiled, testing her weapons in her hand. "So…you're not dead yet? Very good, shin…"

"I'm curious," Deidara interrupted, and she blinked at him. "You're beautiful, deadly as a wasp, and yet you're with the Red Hand. Why is that?"

"I do things for money, shinobi. They pay me to kill their enemies, and I oblige," she said. She didn't know where this line of questioning was going, but it was giving her a chance to catch her breath before she ripped his heart out and ate it for tea.

"Money…" Deidara said slowly to himself. His grimace slowly turned into a frown, and he sighed. "Never for something like love?"

"Hn, what do I need with love? Money buys me many things." Lang stood non-chalant now, and she yawned. "Anything I need at all. Food, clothing, jewels, lovers. Money is the key!"

"It's not everything," Deidara said. He smiled, looking down at his hands. "Not…everything."

"Enough of this foolish talk!" Lang's hands slid in front of her, and she set her jaw. "Time to die, shinobi!"

"Indeed." His hands came forward, and in one hand-sign, he looked into the eyes of the woman who had so cruelly taken his child from the world of the living. "Katsu!"

The myriad creatures he had thrown at her, the dozens of clay creations littering the ground next to the walls, suddenly expanded. Eyes popped and bodies filled with forceful air. Lang noticed one beginning to expand, and it all hit her. _He wasn't aiming for me. He was trying to miss! _She didn't have time to yell. The room erupted in a cacophony of sound and destruction. The roof caved in from the blasts to its foundation, and before she could move from the spot, Lang was buried a hundred feet under the ground under tons and tons of rock and rubble.

Lang from the Red Hand was no more.

Half a mile down the passage, Shizune turned her head, hearing the sound of a massive explosion that rocked the ground underneath her feet. As the Lord Setama hurried her quicker, a lightness took hold on her heart, and she smiled to herself.

"Deidara…"

* * *

Next Time: Deidara is hot on Setama's trail, but his friends have their own fight to manage. LaoFang, the master of shield jutsu's. Eesama and Hiran face a tough and determined foe that won't back down, and, like Hiran, doesn't seem to mind pain.

Next Chapter: LaoFang's Revenge!


	14. Chapter 14: LaoFang's Revenge

**Deidara's Story: Clay Hearts Molded**

**Chapter 14: LaoFang's Revenge**

* * *

Eesama stood on the edge of a battle between two titans, LaoFang of the Red Hand, a rock of a man and a more formidable foe she never would have conceived. The man stood at least a head and a half taller than herself, and used every bit of his bulk and muscle to slam home his attacks.

On the other hand, Hiran was no small contender. Built nearly as large, Hiran was trading blow for blow, kick for punch, with the Red Hand juggernaut. Together, the two savaged the courtyard, chunks of dirt and rock ripped from the very ground. With every blow, Eesama could feel the energy. Early on in the fight, she had tried to come to her teammate's aid, unleashing a barrage of kunai and senbon at LaoFang in a desperate bid to find some sort of weakness. However, the weapons merely bounced off like they were made of cheap rubber, and only one of the kunai even went so far as to scratch the man's surface.

"His skin must be made of iron…" she thought out loud to herself, preparing an explosive note to wrap onto a kunai.

Hiran's face betrayed a lust for combat that, up to this point, she had never truly seen. Each blow, whether given or received, just rejuvenated his fighting spirit. It took Eesama a moment to realize why the man was in such high spirits. Up to this point, he had never actually fought anyone worthy of his mettle. No single combatant, or multiple combatants, had ever come close to this. Their power was evenly matched, and, at least to Hiran, his opponent felt none of the damage that Hiran was sure he was inflicting, which of course made the combat that much more satisfying.

LaoFang wasn't incredibly fast, but what he lacked in speed, he made up for in sheer, brute power. As LaoFang's fist crashed into his face for the umpteenth time, Hiran smiled, giving him his own right hook and taking a momentary lull to spit out a tooth.

With that tooth came something that he had never felt. Pain. Hiran suddenly felt a dull ache. Pain. The sensation was slow in coming, but in his lower jaw, he could feel it. Pain.

Hiran loved it!

With a laugh and a howl, the big man slammed his shoulder into the Red Hand, driving him back four full paces. LaoFang's arms suddenly slammed down, once…twice…thrice! Each time elicited a grunt, but Hiran held steady, driving his opponent back as far as he could before LaoFang's knee crashed into his stomach. Two hands as large as dinner plates wrapped through his arms, grasping him about the middle. With a sudden twist, Hiran felt himself airborne, sailing up and over LaoFang's head, landing in a compulsory pile in the ground, his feet sticking up like two pistons growing from the earth.

"This is the most fun I've had in a while, little man!" LaoFang yelled, attempting to be heard through the four feet of terra firma that he had just shoved his foe through.

Suddenly, a voice answered him, directly behind. "I was gonna say the same thing!" LaoFang's eyebrow went up as he turned. Two fists met his face, and taken unawares, he was suddenly catapulted through the air to land on the far side of the courtyard. For a moment, he was nonplussed, though only for a moment. LaoFang flipped, back to his feet, to stare across the expanse of land to see what his opponent had just pulled.

Growing from the roughed up earth like a perverse earthworm doing an insane jig, Hiran's head floated in front of him, dancing to and fro upon his neck. Both of his arms flailed at his side, like a snake charmer and its two snake cohorts. The scene in front of him must have been incredibly odd, for LaoFang broke out into hearty guffaws.

"Well…I'd never," he howled, slapping his sides. "How in the hell are you doing that?"

"Let me tell you…it hurts!" Slowly, Hiran's form slowly slithered from the earth, his arms retracting under the ground. First his shoulders appeared, serpentine and almost fluidly. Next, his torso, and his arms. His legs oozed into the ground from the original hole that he had ploughed with his own body. Upon the earth he slowly stood, cracking his neck and shoulders.

Eesama smiled. That was one of Hiran's special abilities. Because of his immense fortitude against pain, he was able to stretch himself into strange positions. Not just himself, but each cell of his body. He could contort each thread, each fiber of his own being. He was also able to pull his cells into themselves, making skin and body as tough as a brick of marble. To a normal person, this would be impossible without the help of some sort of jutsu. _But, _she thought smugly to herself, _Hiran isn't normal is he?_

The attack renewed, Hiran closing the gap between the two and thrusting his fist into LaoFangs face. The two began another struggle for supremacy, pushing and pulling against each other. In the meantime, Eesama began to create another exploding note, attaching it gingerly to yet another kunai. If Hiran could give her enough time, she could help him.

She only hoped he could last that long.

* * *

Deidara took another right down a corridor of seemingly endless lefts and rights. His patience wearing as thin as his chakra, he stopped, placing his hand on the wall of the corridor as he attempted to regain his strength and breath.

"You know, for a castle, there is more underground crap here than above ground, un." He glared about him in the dark. His torch long having gone out, he could only trust his instincts at when new paths appeared in the corridor. So far, he was wondering if his instincts were leading him to a dead end. From where he had left the Red Hand assassin Lang buried under tons of rubble, he had traveled nearly a full two miles underground (at least as he could tell) and he had no idea of how far from the mansion he actually was. The place was a labyrinth. He could be a mile under the ground, or two feet. He had no way to tell.

The blond huffed, smacking the cold stone with a fist. "This place sucks…" he growled under his breath. At the rate he was going, he would probably die from dehydration before he ever found his target. "If I don't find Shizune-hime soon, I won't be in any shape to do anything for her," he reasoned to himself. Urging his body onward, he began a slow trot into the darkness, sensing around him for tiny changes in atmosphere or wind currents. Hopefully, he would find something soon.

Otherwise, this would be the longest grave he had ever seen…or been the occupant of.

* * *

Clearly, LaoFang was taking his time pulling Hiran apart. As their battle had continued, LaoFang continually accepted hit after pulverizing hit. It was as though Hiran's fists connected with diamond. Nothing could chip away at LaoFang's hide.

In his own attacks, LaoFang had done considerably more damage to Hiran than Eesama had ever seen. The man was bleeding from multiple cuts and lacerations. His skin was a motley assortment of bruises ranging from deep red to vibrant purples and greens. To her count, he had lost six of his teeth, and at one point, an astoundingly destructive right punch from LaoFang had caused Hiran's left eye to pop from its socket. Jokingly, the Red Hand soldier waited for Hiran to pop the offending eye bac k in and turn it about a few times before renewing the battle.

To her own effort, Eesama had stopped to fight three Red Hand soldiers who had tried to stop the fight and help LaoFang defeat Hiran. However, two were stopped dead by a thrown shuriken and a kunai through the neck. The third member was cut short by LaoFang himself, who punched the man so hard his hand went through the hapless Red Hand's face, emerging in a gore of blood and offal from the back of the man's skull and sending his lifeless body to the other side of the manor.

Her last explosive note attached, Eesama turned back to the titanic duel, gripping a kunai with a white-knuckled grip and gritting her teeth. "Here we go, girl. Let's do it!" Her feet took off at a sudden run, and her lithe form dodged closer to the ground. LaoFang was a huge man, and through her constant scrutiny of the match, she came up with the simplest of observations. Being large, and nearly overpowering, LaoFang was, indeed, slow and clumsy, at least compared to a smaller, more agile opponent. LaoFang would be able to tire and defeat any opponent through sheer power alone. But against an opponent that was nearly as powerful as he, and another opponent that could hit and run at any time, LaoFang would slowly crumble. It would take all the chakra that she and Hiran had, combined, but it was possible.

They could win!

LaoFang's fist crashed for the umpteenth time into Hiran's shattered ribs, and the man grunted as he wrapped a massive limb about LaoFang's neck for support as he thrust his fists into the man's sternum. The air exploded from his lungs as two hands in the form of one giant fist crashed into his back, and he lost his hold, folding under and lying on his stomach on the ground.

LaoFang sighed, shaking his head and standing over his opponent. "You know, I was hopin' that you'd be a better fight." Hiran felt his shoulder gripped in a titan hold, and lifted up to LaoFang's height. By now, his ability to shrug off pain was stretched to its very limit. He could feel every muscle screaming. The pain was more than just crisp and fresh. It was more than just a new sensation that he could relish.

Pain was now an unrelenting enemy of itself, and the mere fact that he was still conscious was an outstanding feat.

LaoFang's face sneered at him. True, Hiran had caused him some damage, but it wasn't anything that a healer and a couple days of rest couldn't fix. Slowly, his right hand moved, his arm coming back behind him. A green glow began to permeate his skin, until his whole hand was aglow with deadly power. "This is the end, I'm afraid. I gots things to do, places to go…money to make!"

Like in slow motion, the man's arm came back for the killing swing, and closing his eyes, Hiran waited for the blow to come.

"Take this!" A sudden exclamation in the otherwise silent atmosphere caused his eyes to open. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a reddish blur catapult into the air. LaoFang had no time to physically react as the kunai in Eesama's hand pierced his back. He screamed, dropping Hiran onto the ground and turning to swat the pest away. But Eesama's speed was second to none, and like the feline that she could transform into, she rolled away, stopping a few feet away and turning to watch her work. Her hand's came to her chest, and she raised her index and pointer finger to the sky. "KATSU!"

From his back, LaoFang felt the heat from an exploding note. He screamed as the explosion ripped the air, and in but a moment, the ground was blasted away as the exploding note did it's work. Eesama felt her feet lose ground, but she held herself as strong as possible, warding the debris away from her face. "I…I think I got him!"

The air slowly settled, bits and pieces of rock and ground floating to the ground lazily. Breathing easier and standing, Eesama made her way forward to where Hiran still lay on the ground. Bending, she moved the hair from his face as she sighed. "Hey, big man. You ok?"

Hiran grunted, pushing himself up onto one hand. "Yeah yeah. Gonna take more than a severe ass-kickin' to beat me. You?"

Eesama smiled. The man couldn't possibly think that she was in worse condition. "I'll live." Grunting with the effort, she slowly helped the man up, keeping him supported with her petite frame against his massive one. She took another deep breath, looking around the ruined courtyard. "We have to find Deko-san. He's around here somewhere."

From behind the two, a deep, foreboding chuckle emanated. Eesama winced, turning the two of them around to stare behind, where a shadow loomed in the debris cloud.

"You did well, girl," LaoFang said. Slowly, he stepped from the cloud, his bulk defying her ability to comprehend. The Red Hand thug shifted, twitching each limb. "I'm sorry, I didn't even really introduce myself." His hands came to his front, clapping together. Slowly, they parted, revealing a thin, bluish membrane having grown between them. The membrane rippled and shimmered, transforming before her eyes into a living thing before turning back into a jiggling mass of almost pure chakra. "I'm the third strongest member of the Red Hand. My name is LaoFang, master of shield jutsu's. My shield's are impenetrable, and have never been defeated."

Eesama slowly let Hiran take his own weight. As he did, she slid another exploding note tipped kunai from her pouch, staring levelly at LaoFang. "You're the third strongest, but you've never been defeated. So why are you only the third strongest?"

The larger man smiled, than began to break out into his dark chuckle. "Because, girl Lang-san was always a favorite of Meechi-sama's, so she was always second."

"So why not defeat this Meechi?" she asked. In her heart, Eesama knew she was just trying to buy time. In reality, she wasn't sure that even that would help. She was running out of options, and running out of time.

LaoFang chuckled again. "Why not defeat Meechi-sama? I have never even challenged him."

"Why?" Her hand gripped her kunai tighter, and Eesama made ready to attack.

LaoFang's hands suddenly spread wide, and the blue shield he created spread over his body, consuming his skin like an amoeba, forming an impenetrable barrier around him. "Because…I've never wanted to die. Challenging Meechi-sama is like inviting death to your front door. You don't last long in either situation." Without warning, the man shot forward, fist raised, eyes beckoning to the two as he closed the gap and began his assault anew.

* * *

Another turn down another corridor. The whole idea of actually getting anywhere was starting to elude the blond. Deidara was starting to run out of patience. If he couldn't find anything in just a few more minutes, he was sure that he was just going to pop, start throwing bombs every which way and blow himself back to the surface.

Suddenly, the lights came back on. Turning left into a large room, Deidara stopped. The chamber was spacious, well-lit with plenty of torches on the wall. The light danced merrily against the off-set stone walls, casting shadows into the corners that seemed as ghosts upon the somber atmosphere. "At least the torches are a nice touch. Must be getting close, un?" Deidara quipped to himself.

A chuckle suddenly permeated the air, gradually increasing in volume to drown out the stillness. A shadow dropped from the ceiling, landing on the stone without as much as a sound. Slowly, the figure stood, and if Deidara had had any energy left for mirth, he may have chuckled. The man in front of him was five-foot nothing, with a plump frame and dark, hooded eyes that peered from behind a black cloak that almost blended in with the surrounding darkness.

"Let me ask, shinobi," the man said, his voice grating, as though the man had smoked since he was but five and continued with a pack a day since. "I don't care who you are, because you will soon be dead. I don't care what you are here for, for dead men don't need for much, and I don't care if you don't want to fight, because whether you fight or not is irrelevant. You will still die."

Deidara grinned, his hand already stuffed in his clay pouch, which was getting extremely low. "None of what you just said is a question, un."

The dark shinobi smiled, nodding slightly. "True. My question, then. Did you ever think that you would defeat the Red Hand?"

Deidara scoffed. "Hmph. Of course I did. You're nothing more than a bunch of rabble, un. Outlaws and renegades. None of you, except a few, have any real skill, un. It's like fighting a bunch of toddlers."

The Red Hand simply continued to smile. His hands played with the seam of his coat, and he chuckled again. "When you have an organization like mine, you need pawns who can do the heavy work. You know…rape, pillage. Steal from the innocent and kill the young. Those kind of things."

"Well," Deidara said, his hand molding another clay creation, "you do that very well then, un?"

The black hooded man nodded. "Aye, that we do."

Without another word, Deidara's hand finished creating, a small clay pigeon that flapped expectantly against his hand. The blond jumped to the right, flinging out his hand.

As the clay creature homed in on his target. The man in black didn't even move. His hands made an imperceptible flicking motion, and as suddenly as the attack had begun, it was over. Crumbling into useless ash in the air, the clay fell without a sound. Deidara grimaced as the man stood to his full height, which wasn't much more than he was at to begin with. Cracking his neck, the Red Hand smiled widely, throwing his hands out and bowing.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Meechi…the leader of the Red Hand. Thank you for making it this far, my friend." His smile suddenly vanished into a tight grimace, his eyes suddenly cold and calculated. "I've been waiting for an opponent who could challenge me. We shall see if you are that opponent…and then I shall watch you bleed."

Deidara sighed, sticking his hand into his pocket again. Things just continued getting better and better.

* * *

Eesama sucked in gulps of air greedily. Her lungs burned with a fire that she had never felt. Together, her and Hiran spent each second defending and attacking in unison, trying to find some way to penetrate the impossibly dense shield that LaoFang had created around himself. Each time she punched or kicked, she felt each blow jar through her body. As though punching through solid sheets of steel that were meters thick. As Hiran attempted a small offensive, she slowly popped three fingers, nodding at the pain that her broken index finger created up her arm. "Well…that's another to join my broken bones," she mused. She knew that nearly every bone in Hiran's body was either broken or bruised, and he was now nothing but a patchwork of bruises…a bruised hunk of meat that relentlessly denied going down.

A right from LaoFang sent Hiran spiraling out of control, smashing him through the outer ring of the wall and into the forest outside. Turning his attention away from Hiran, LaoFang smiled, eying Eesama with the look of a hawk that had just seen a rabbit. "Well well…just you and me, pretty girl."

Eesama smiled, gripping a kunai and ignoring the pain from her broken digits. "Well…aren't we lucky, handsome?"

The man spit a wad of blood on the ground, stretching his muscles and sighing. "You know, I'm getting tired of this. You've tried everything you can to stop me. You haven't touched me, you haven't even breathed on me hard yet. So…I have a proposition."

Eesama's eyes narrowed, and she only gripped the kunai harder. "Oh? Sounds intriguing. What do you propose then?"

LaoFang's eyes slit together, and his smile became menacing. "I've been with the Red Hand for 'bout a year now, girl. It's been a long while since I've had me a woman."

Eesama's mouth smirked, and she stood, relaxing slightly. "Oh? I cannot possibly imagine why? A strong guy like you? Should be swarming with girls…"

"I know, you'd think, huh?" LaoFang said, grinning to himself. "So, here's what I'm thinking. You come with me. Be my woman. Keep my bed warm at night. Submit to my needs…the whole bit."

"Sounds romantic…" Eesama said sarcastically, "And what, pray tell, shall I gain from this?"

The man chuckled, shrugging. "Well, I don't want to fuck a corpse…so I guess I'll let you live."

Eesama sighed. "Wow…what a guy."

"I suppose," he started again, almost as if the suggestion pained him physically, "I suppose I could let your friend live too."

"Naturally."

He smiled. "Well? Pretty good deal, huh?"

Eesama sighed. At this point, she had no alternatives. She would die soon. Her chakra level was near to 0. She had one explosive note on one kunai, and that made up the rest of her arsenal. She could change into her feline form and escape easy enough, but Hiran would never make it a mile before he was cut down. To save herself…to save her team member… "Alright…alright…"

LaoFang smiled. His guard went down, but his shield never dissipated. It still pulsed with a faint blue tint, turning his skin the color of a drowning man's. "Good to hear you're smart enough to know when to quit."

"But!" She stated, holding her hand out. "You don't get any of this," and she motioned to her body, "until my friend walks away, and I find our other member and see him away as well."

LaoFang snorted in bemused acceptance. "Yeah yeah. Whatever. Go ahead." He waved her off dismissively.

She gave a flourished bow, every bit of anger and frustration at taking this road showing through, and turned, heading to the hole in the wall. Suddenly, she felt giant hands on her arms, pushing her down to the ground. "On second thought…I think I'll just take what I want!" She suddenly panicked, squirming and writhing as powerful hands held her down and began to rip off her meager clothing. She felt her shirt give way to overpowering strength, and she felt a tear go down her face as she realized that she was powerless to do anything against this man.

"NO!" A fist crashed above her, and even with the man's shield intact, the force of the blow carried through to the man, sending LaoFang head over tail across the courtyard and landing him in an impromptu pile on the grass. Above her, Hiran grit his teeth, cracking his knuckles and glaring across the yard. "Eesama…are…you ok?"

She felt extremely naked at the moment, even though the two had both seen the other completely nude. In different situations, they were teammates, and she had no pride in her own body when it came to her teammates. But here, she felt violated, and any man seeing her like this was a slap in the face.

"Yes…yes, thank you Hiran." She took another breath, and lifted herself onto a knee. Staring at Hiran, she gasped. Where LaoFang's hand had struck, his chest was compressed. Almost as if someone had crumpled him like a can, LaoFangs strike had cratered almost all of Hiran's ribs in. He coughed, apologizing as blood spattered. "Oh…oh Hiran."

"Hey…we have one chance here. Don't…don't blow it." Hiran said, trying his best to smile. His arm supporting his body, he levered himself back to his feet, gasping at the pain in his chest. "Ready? I won't last long. We either hit him now, or…or not at all." Another wheezing breath, another sharp intake of pain.

Eesama cried unchecked now, but her face didn't betray the sadness cascading down her face. Her look was one of detached determination. She nodded, gripping her kunai. "Ok…ok Hiran. Let's do this. Together…"

From the other side of the field, their opponent was slowly stomping towards them, fury and indignation on his face. "You know, I was actually thinking about letting you live!" He yelled. He clenched both fists, cracking his knuckles. "I guess I'll just change my way of thinking!" With a shout, LaoFang pressed chakra into his feet and legs, thrusting him forward, his hands up, ready to deal the finishing blow.

Next to her, Eesama could feel Hiran begin to gather his last amount of chakra, and turning to her, he smiled. "Come on partner. Let's…let's do this!" Slowly, he began to run, until his forward momentum carried him faster and faster.

His right hand moved back, precisely. He closed his eyes, forcing his crushed and battered body to do as he wanted. It was responding, if haggardly. He smiled, opening his eyes. He wanted to witness this firsthand.

LaoFang was a mere few meters ahead. Now less. Now less. Suddenly so close. The man's smile was predacious, and his fist raised back. "Goodbye, little man!"

"**Ketatamashii itsumademodageki!" **In his training to be a top-notch shinobi of the Stone Country and Iwagakure, Hiran had gone through extensive study of the chakra channels. To see where they were without actually seeing where they were. It was something that almost all elite-nin were able to do. Those with the Byakugan, like those of Konohagakure and the Hyuuga clan, could physically see the lines of chakra. For Hiran, he could only guess.

But his training allowed him to guess well!

Hiran's hand glowed with the remainder of his chakra. During his run forward, he had been slowly compressing the cells of his hand. He was incorporating everything into this. His bones, his joints. His entire hand became one entity, one solid entity of chakra laced steel. His jutsu worked on this, shaping his hand into a point and hardening that point into a blade that was as lethal as any sword or kunai. The entire process shaped his body and molded his cells. Normally, it would be little more than a nuisance. But, with his natural ability of pain resistance completely squelched, the pain from the transformation was literally like feeling someone rip his whole arm apart.

The damage he had sustained wouldn't allow him to walk away from this battlefield. He knew this. He just had to give Eesama any opening at all that he could. Even if it cost him everything.

LaoFangs own hand glowed an ominous green, and the two titans clashed together. Hiran's arm shot forward, and for a moment, pierced through the larger man's shield. If but for a moment. He felt his arm enter into LaoFang's chest, about 2 inches in. Not far enough for a killing shot.

LaoFang's fist, however, hit its target squarely, burying itself through Hiran's chest up to his elbow. LaoFang smiled, raising the struggling Hiran off the ground as Hiran's lifeblood pumped out onto his arm. "Well…I'm impressed, little man. You succeeded in penetrating my shield! I must say, that is something no one else has done. So, as your reward, you die now!"

His other arm went back, his left fist beginning to glow the killing green. As though he wished to refute the evidence, or even tell his own joke, Hiran smiled, blood pouring between the remainder of the teeth in his face. He even chuckled. LaoFang grimaced, shaking him slightly. "What! What's so funny!?"

Hiran chuckled harder, and coughed slightly. His body sagged in his opponents' grip, and he sighed. "You…never even…saw it…saw it coming…"

LaoFang's fury suddenly came boiling to the surface. He lowered his opponent, glaring at him. "Saw what coming!?"

"This!" A small voice at their feet turned LaoFang's attention downward. Below, Eesama had snuck in, unnoticed in her feline form. As LaoFang lowered Hiran's bulk, she had turned back to her original body, and as he looked down, he had moved Hiran's body slightly. With a slight suction sound, Hiran pulled his arm out, and as he did, Eesama shot upwards, burying the kunai up to the hilt in the hole that Hiran had started. The explosive note she used was special, having wrapped the paper around the cutting blade instead of the handle.

With a jerk and a twist, Eesama snapped the handle off, pushing off from LaoFang's chest and taking Hiran with her. As LaoFang gasped at the sudden intrusion of his body, she stood up, the fading sunlight reflecting off of her satin skin as she sneered.

LaoFang grunted, going to a knee. "You…fucking…bitch…"

"Make a shield around that, fucker." She smiled, pulling her broken hand to her body. It was then that LaoFang figured out their play. With his last attack, Hiran had only stabbed down a short way. But he wasn't aiming for his vitals. He was aiming for the small chakra hub that was located near the center of the chest. Every person had this hub, but it was almost always different for each person. There was no way to hit it precisely without knowing where it was or having the ability to see it.

Hiran had made the luckiest strike imaginable, and by hitting the hub, he had shut down LaoFang's shield subtlety, at least in that one spot.

Gritting his teeth, LaoFang glanced back to his small opponent, a smug look on her face. "I hope you enjoy burying your friend, bitch, because…"

"You talk too much," she replied. Her hand was already in proper position. She had placed all of her remaining chakra into the note, and she screamed with every fiber of her being. All of her rage, hate, anger, frustration. Sadness for her friend. Worry about her lost love. Hope of seeing Deidara again. All of her emotions boiled down and poured into one, last attack that echoed from the walls and the surrounding scenery. "KATSU!"

The air was silent, and all that was was suddenly serene. The scenery collapsed in. She suffocated in the vacuum of space as the air threatened to consume her. Then, the air exploded out, her note creating a crater where once a man had stood. She had nothing left in her to withstand the blast, and almost willingly allowed her body to fly backwards. She flopped upon the ground like a rag doll, buffeted this way and that in the shockwave.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The violence was suddenly over. She breathed a sigh of relief through teeth stained red with blood. Across the courtyard, the shattered and splintered remains of LaoFang lay on the grass, the blood soaking the soil. She had no ability to stand, nor could she move her head. She could feel the pain radiate from her back. She silently read herself. She may have suffered a fractured spine, maybe 2, possibly 3 vertebrae cracked. Multiple ribs broken. Lacerations on her stomach and back from catapulting across open ground. Her left foot and right hand were completely mangled, broken in more places than she cared to think about. Her right leg was out of joint, and she had no strength to pop it back in.

"Well…this is shitty," she said to herself, barely a whisper. At least the immediate danger was gone. "Hiran! Hiran…you ok?" No answer. She consigned herself to the fact that he was gone. The wound he had sustained, combined with his multiple injuries, would have killed a hundred men, much less one Hiran. Another tear slowly crept down her face. "Goodbye…Hiran."

Across the courtyard, she saw a handful of soldiers regrouping, trotting out to where she was. She was relieved…up until they pointed their weapons at her. The five soldiers grimaced as they glanced at each other, nodding.

"Hey…w-w-we're the good guys," she stammered. None of the men cared. Their weapons lifted, and she shut her eyes tight. To be killed, lying almost naked on the ground, no chance to fight back, was not her ideal situation, and she had rather not see it.

Instead of weapons slashing and cutting at her, she got a chorus of grunts, groans, and screams. Warm, sickly blood splashed on her, and in her wonder, she opened her eyes to watch all five men go down in a flurry of weapons flashing and blazing. Their screams were cut short by all manner of objects flying through to rip them apart, and just as it had begun, it was over. Her breathing short and rasping, she stared, awed, at the figure that stood in front of her.

Blood seeping from a gaping wound in his chest, Deko stared with a dead-eyed gaze at Eesama's bruised and battered form. Slowly, he took a knee, then two, kneeling in front of her. His breath rasped from the wound, and blood gurgled with each gasp. Slowly, painfully, he moved a hand to his pocket, taking a small box out and holding it in front of her. "Eesama-chan…please…will you…will…will…"

"Oh gods, Deko-san! Yes! Yes!" She screamed, her scream just more than a whisper. He smiled, coughing slightly as he went to take her hand. Slowly, as though in a movie, he went to grasp her hand, taking three attempts to grab it as he gingerly placed the ring from the box onto her broken and twisted ring finger, the pain almost completely forgotten in an instant.

Through teeth stained red, Deko smiled at her. Slowly, he sank to the ground, his eyes never leaving hers. She forced her body to respond, to move her arm over to his, to grab onto his forearm with her hand. Her tears continued to fall, though with hope, longing, or sadness she couldn't rightly tell. Together they embraced, even when Eesama's eyes closed and she slipped into blissful, peaceful unconsciousness…or when Deko's gaze remained to the falling night, his eyes glazing over as he crossed into the next world, holding the one he loved at the end.

* * *

Next Chapter: Running out of chakra, time, energy, and patience, Deidara makes a desperate final bid against Meechi, who wishes to wrap the blond shinobi in a deadly embrace to suck the life from him. Can Deidara emerge victorious? Find out next time!

Chapter : Red Storm! Red Hand Rising!

**A Note From Uzuki:** Hey guys! I'm glad you stuck with me after all this time…unless you haven't. I'm sorry that I haven't updated pretty much anything. Lots going on, plus writers block. I know where I want to go with this story, I just didn't know how to get there. I think I got it figured out pretty well, at least for the end of this Arc. I'm almost certain that I am wrapping this arc up in about 6 months. At least another 5 chapters to come. Again, if you stuck with me, I am forever thankful! You guys are awesome!

**Jutsu List:**

**Ketatamashii itsumademodageki: Piercing Forever Strike!**


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